The World Always Needs New Heroes
by TheCloudJumper
Summary: Kai, Jay, Cole, and Lloyd have gone off in search of Zane. However, over a month has passed since they left, and Nya and the others at the monastery have become worried. When a mysterious invitation arrives throughout Ninjago asking for participants for the 'Tournament of Elements', Wu asks seven souls to help find the missing ninja.
1. Prologue

**A/N: So, this idea has been in my head ever since seeing episode 36. Basically, for those who haven't seen it, GO WATCH IT NOW! If you can't find it, or if you just don't have time, it'll be fine because the plot will be explained as the chapters go on. This story is a bit Au-Ish, but in a good way. **

**Taking place after the events of Season 3. The four remaining ninja have gone to Master Chen's island _alone_. (As in without the other elemental masters or even Garmadon) after Chen sends a notice daring the ninja to come and rescue Zane. However, it has been over a month since they left, and Nya and the Senseis are beginning to grow anxious. When a new notice of a mysterious 'Tournament of Elements' arrives all throughout Ninjago, Nya enlists seven normal teens to go to the island and find the missing ninja. Now I know OC stories are sometimes frowned upon in the fanfiction world, but I promise that this one will be different. It will follow the show's events, but with my own twists and turns along the way.  
**

* * *

**The Monastery**

For those fortunate enough to visit the beautiful and serene mountains located far away from Ninjago City, words like peaceful, breathtaking, and spectacular would be perfect to describe the area. With gushing waterfalls flowing down the glowing rocks, and the amazing flora and fauna across the hills and valleys, it is a place where harmony and balance is found everywhere.

_CRASH! _

Almost everywhere, that is. The sound of glass breaking echoed throughout the air from a secluded dojo located on the edge of the mountain forest.

"DARETH!" Nya shouted, and thrust open the training room doors to find the annoying brown ninja about to throw a vase at a nearby student. Gene? Brad? She didn't really care at the moment. All that mattered was that a man almost twice her age was acting like a child, and the entire room was trashed with broken pots and upside down bonsais. All the kids suddenly paled at the sight of their raven-haired friend's angry face, and Dareth began to sputter out excuses.

"N-Nya, I-" He didn't get the chance to finish, as she marched over and promptly started to lecture him to no ends.

"What are you thinking!?" She exclaimed. "When I said the students could come over I didn't mean for all of you guys to mess around and break everything in sight!"

"I-I j-just t-thought-"

"You thought what!?" Nya yelled, and Dareth flinched.

"Nya..." Sally stepped forward and pushed up her glasses. She was in her regular attire, a white gi with a green belt tied around her waist. "We're sorry that we ruined the room."

Nya sighed, and put her hands on her hips, but she slowly let herself calm down. "Dareth. I know that since the others..." Her voice cracked a bit, but she continued. "I know that since they're gone you've been having trouble training the students, but I'm trying to finish something and your noise isn't helping."

A guilty look flashed across Dareth's face, and he put the vase down, "I'm sorry, Nya."

"Just try and be more careful next time, okay?"

"Okay," Dareth and the kids mumbled softly.

"Good," Nya turned around and prepared to get back to her project.

"H-hey, Nya?" Nya stopped and saw Sally take a tentative step forwards, her expression both anxious and sorrowful. "I-I was wondering...when do you think Kai and the others will be back?"

Nya gulped.

"Yeah," Gene chimed. "They've been gone for over a month!"

"You won't tell us anything about them," Brad said, joining the conversation. "Only that they're on a mission. But they've never been away this long."

"Are they okay?" Sally finished.

Nya bit her lip, and felt like crawling into a hole as she glanced around at the all children's (and Dareth's) hopeful faces. They were waiting for answers, answers that she didn't have.

"I can assure you guys that Kai, Jay, Cole, and Lloyd are doing fine," Her gut twisted as the lie fell gracefully from her mouth. "They're okay, they're alright. But, somethings come up that's made their quest harder than expected."

"But they're not hurt, right?" Sally asked.

Nya licked her lips. "No. They're absolutely unharmed. Just a little caught up, that's all." She forced herself to give a smile and began to slide the training room entrance closed. "Don't be afraid. I know my brother and my friends. They can handle anything."

And with those last words she slammed the doors shut.

* * *

Nya felt her eyes water up as she ran out of the monastery and into the bright lights of the outside world. Her whole vision seemed to swirl, and she ended up tripping over a protruding tree root and onto the rocky earth. Feeling the sharp rocks scrape cheeks, Nya felt her whole face burn with pain, and she let out a incoherent cry.

"Nya?" A voice said from above, and she glanced up to see Misako looming over her. "What are you doing?" The kind gray-haired woman helped Nya get to her feet.

"I tripped..." Nya said flatly.

"Is this about the others?" Misako questioned, her tone gentle.

Nya put her fingers to her face and felt the warmth of blood. Ignoring the stinging sensation of the gravel ebbed in her skin, she nodded.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Misako asked.

Nya shrugged.

"I'll take that as a yes," Misako led Nya over to a cheery blossom tree, and they sat down in silence.

"I'm just nervous," Nya explained. "They've been gone for a month. A full month, Misako! What if something happened?"

Misako sighed. She knew that the samurai was extremely troubled by her team's failed return from Master Chen's Island. The four elemental ninja had received a letter in an ally way from the notorious crime lord that claimed Zane was _alive, _but was currently on Chen's island far away. He ordered that the ninja meet go to the docks, alone, and a boat would arrive to take them to his dwelling.

The problem? They had gone alone. No sensei. No other people. Just them. And to make matters worse? They hadn't returned despite the long amount of time that had passed. Nya, of course, was worried sick, and spent every waking hour trying to figure out where the island was and how to find her brother and teammates. Wu was a bit different, preferring to study his tea leaves to search for answers and meditate while his brother, Garmadon, did the same as well.

"I'm sure that the four will accomplish their task," Misako said.

"But what if they get injured? Or if they even get killed? We've already lost Zane. I..." Nya trailed off.

"I know," Misako embraced Nya in a tight hug. "But worrying about the present when there's the future does not change anything."

"But what if that's just it? What if they need our help and we're sitting here doing nothing?" Nya said, and clenched her fists in frustration.

"Then we'll know," Misako said firmly. "Sensei Wu and Sensei Garmadon are trying their best to find a solution to this predicament. But all we can do is hope for the best."

Nya, realizing Misako was right, relaxed a little, and let breathing go back to normal.

"Good girl," Misako said, seeing her friend's more calmed state of mind. "Now, remember this: Your brother and the other ninja are skilled fighters and warrios trained to get through thick and thin. Wherever they are, and whatever they're going through, is certainly not going to stop them from finding Zane. Nothing keeps family apart, and nothing will ever severe the bond we share with the ones we love. I am almost positive that they're close to defeating Chen and coming home."

"Yeah, maybe you're right," Nya said.

"Wonderful," Misako stood up and brushed some dirt off her shirt. "Now, shall we finish repairing the Bounty?"

"I guess so," Nya followed her friend towards the Monastery, a feeling of optimism encasing her mind and making it easier to think. And besides, maybe she was right. Maybe her brother and teammates could handle anything on that stupid island.

Maybe.

* * *

**A/N: I know it's short, but that a prologue for you. I promise the other chapters will be much longer. Please review and tell me what you think!  
**


	2. Episode 1: The Invitation

**A/N: Here it is! The first chapter of The World Always Needs New Heroes! I will start off by thanking everyone who submitted their OCs. I had a blast reading them, and it was difficult to choose only seven. So, without further ado, I present to you the lucky OCs that I have picked to star in this story! However, don't worry if your OC isn't on the list, as I may include them later on in special roles and cameos! (*cough* Noodle Factory *cough*)  
**

**Anways...here are the OCs and their owners! **

1\. Monika Weil (Hex the Ninja)

2\. Jayde Kessra Meirene (Ayumira)

3\. Aqua Light (AwesomeAuthor13)

4\. Norwin Swiftering (NellisEllis)

5\. Damien Porter (Rider4Life)

6\. Craig Granger (TheBigCapybara)

7\. Emylia Amorru (Kymeara)

**Once again, thank you all who sent me OCs, and I hope you enjoy The World Always Needs New Heroes even if your OC wasn't chosen.**

**Note: All chapters are called 'episodes' in this story. **

* * *

** Episode 1: The Invitation**

The sky was a vast canopy filled with dozens of shining stars, their glows illuminating the world below and their radiance casting down rays of individual light onto Ninjago. Under these glittering lines of space, dozens of mysterious night figures slipped through the city with ease. Their faces were covered with pitch-black masks. Their eyes scanning the area around them to find any trace of those who might catch a glance of their bodies.

But all is silent.

Midnight was always a feared time of the day. Alleys were abandoned. Streets were empty. And the only sound that could be heard was the soft breeze that blew across Ninjago as it caressed the cold stone of buildings and the flickering lights of the lampposts. No cars were to be seen, nor were there any floating stop-signs or high-tech buses prowling the pathways. Ninjago City had changed its ways, deciding on taking on a less futuristic style in honor of a certain nindroid that had sacrificed his life for the sake of his friends and his home. Many citizens had taken it upon themselves to visit the funeral and the statue of Zane, as well as give their condolences to the remaining ninja and their respective allies.

However, the figures were not there to give their thanks or praise. They were not there to chat, cry, or laugh. In fact, they were not to be noticed at all. Only to be seen as a trick of the eye to some person staring out a window, or a mere shadow of a trashcan or dumpster oddly shaped and placed.

Yes...they were night figures indeed. Over and under, left and right, they canvassed Ninjago City with little to no noise coming from their traveling forms. In their hands they held papers, papers of great value and papers the night figures planned to deliver by the time the sun rose and the people of Ninjago awakened to the sight of orange clouds and morning dew on the grass. Each figure held a round, clear item in their hand. An item made of the purest light and darkest matter. An item that would radiant with a blinding white light whenever near their objectives.

And their objectives? Elemental Masters.

The night figures blended into the darkness of the city with little to no trouble. Their footsteps muffled by their shoes and mouths closed tight. Every few moments one would slink into the shadows. Leave. Never to be seen again until meeting up near the docks where they had all come from. One by one they left. One by one they went their own way until only one remained. The item tightly grasped in his hands, the night figure narrowed his eyes and continued his journey towards the outskirts of Ninjago City. His other friends, more like allies, were preforming the same procedures. Find the master. Hang the paper. Leave.

It was simple. They had been preparing for days, no, _months. _Months of tracking elemental masters. Months of locating those who did not live in Ninjago City and in the middle of nowhere. Months of getting ready for the taste of victory...

The night figure shook his head and scolded himself. Don't put the cart before the horse, is what he had been taught. One mistake and his master's plan would go down the drain...

One mistake. It's strange, some would say, how fate works. How one simple mess up can change the course of history. Feet hurrying on the ground, the figure didn't notice an extra paper from his pocket slip out and under a nearby dumpster...

One mistake. One chance of destiny.

The smokey aroma of the city soon disappeared the further he walked, and the figure could soon spy the sight of a small house, its lights long turned off and inhabitants fast asleep. Creeping towards the home, the night figure took out a razor-sharp dagger from his sash and quietly placed the paper he was holding onto the house's wall. With an accurate aim, he then stabbed the knife right into the invitation's top, firmly planting it into a stone crack and ensuring it would not be falling anytime soon. Seeing his work done, the night figure then brushed off some dirt on his sleeve and turned around, prepared to head back into the darkness. He had no idea that the next morning a young man would wake up and yawn. Had no idea that this ordinary man would get out of bed and prepare for another normal day. Had no idea that this man of destiny would reluctantly go outside and find a strange paper stuck to his house. A paper that had a familiar looking face and a note that read...

You Are Invited To The Tournament.

* * *

**Ninjago City**

"NYA! NYA! NYA! NYA! NYA! NYA!" Nya dropped her tools in surprise at the sound of Dareth and the students yelling their heads off outside of her shop door. It was just another day in Ninjago City, and Misako had convinced the black-haired engineer to try and relax by working on some new machinery.

Of course...Dareth and the kids had pleaded to come along.

And of course...she agreed. But, she had hoped to at least get _some _peace and relaxation in her old mechanic store, especially since she had bribed the children to go to the mall and hang out there with their childish teacher.

"NYA! NYA! NYA!" Dareth shouted. "NYA-GAH!" The metal doors suddenly flew open, and the brown ninja and his students fell to the ground in a jumbled heap.

Nya held in an amused chuckle, and lifted up her wielding mask to get a better look at the comical scene.

"Yes?" She asked lightly.

"Nya!" The kids said in unison, the faces both a mix of worry and excitement.

"What do you guys need?" Nya questioned, and put down her belt of tools and gears. "I thought you were spending your time at the mall." She frowned at their nervous expressions. "What happened? Are you all all right?"

"We found something!" Gene exclaimed, and held up a tan piece of paper before facing it forwards.

"It's got Zane's face on it!" Sally said.

"W-what?" Nya sputtered, and snatched the paper away from Gene. "Where in the world did you-"

"Sally found it hidden under a dumpster while looking for Dareth's missing hair gel." Brad explained.

"...missing hair gel?" Nya said, giving a wary eye towards the childish ninja.

"Hey, don't look at me! These rascals knocked the can outta my hands and into the air!" Dareth defended.

Nya merely rolled her eyes in a joking manner, but flipped back to 'serious mode' when she realized that Zane's face was in fact on the paper. Being under a dumpster for who knows how long, it was a bit grimy and dirty, but nevertheless legible, and sent chills down her spine. Just seeing her deceased friend in a drawing made her want to both cry and freak out, but she kept her emotions inside, not wanting to kids to see her panic.

"It says Zane's alive..." Sally whispered, her voice soft and haunting. Nya ran her fingers alongside the very words that claimed this to be true, and she felt her breathing become rapid.

"Master Chen has personally invited you to participate in his 'Tournament of Elements,'" Nya read aloud.

"The Tournament of Elements?" Gene said in a confused tone.

"Master Chen?" Sally squeaked.

Master Chen. Just the name of that vile, cunning criminal sent Nya's blood boiling and her fists clenching up. He was the man who took away her brothers. He was the man that had _Zane._

But...why would this invitation be in Ninjago City? Were her brothers in danger? Were they already _dead? _

_Relax, Nya. _She forced herself to stop her body from shaking. _They're not dead. They CAN'T be dead. _

Could they?

"This doesn't make sense," She finally said after a few minutes of tormenting silence, and the shop's thick, muddy atmosphere made her gut churn with every word she spoke.

"What should we do?" Gene asked.

"Maybe we should get the Senseis?" Sally suggested. "They might know what to do."

"I doubt this would make sense to them," Nya said, and gently folded the mildewy invitation before placing it into her bag. "But, it's worth a shot. I need everyone to get packed and ready now." Dareth and the kids immediately began to sprint away in hopes of grabbing their belongings in time.

"Where are we going?" Brad inquired before following his friends.

"The others should be at the Monastery," Nya informed. "And hopefully we're find our answers there."

* * *

**Monastery **

Sensei Wu felt the sweet, enriching aroma of his tea seep into his lungs and exit through his nose. The air around him was filled with the mist of cooking liquid and the heat of burning candles. The windows were closed and locked, as was the door, and ensured that he would be allowed to meditate in peace. Resting his mind was a way of letting Wu contemplate the recent events, and he would often think of new ways to help his students and allies, including five missing ninja. Despite the fact Wu seemed completely calm and serene, inside an endless void of stirring emotions and worried thoughts plagued his heart. The ninja were his family and his sons. They were the ones he had entrusted to save Ninjago, but now it seemed like they had failed.

In and out. In and out. Wu's chest rose and fell as the seconds passed, and his eyes were shut tight, and let him explore a vast color of black in hopes of finding some sign that the ninja were okay. Chen was a tricky, crafty being, and Wu had been scolding himself every day for letting the ninja go after such a snake of a man.

In and out. In and out.

The candles flickered with a rhythmic pattern, and gave off an eerie glow that made sure to encase the room with a dim softness.

In and out. In and out.

The mist above his head swirled abruptly, and their dark gray color seemed to rival that of a thunderstorm's.

In and out. In and out.

His cycle of breathing seemed to never cease.

Suddenly, an abnormal breeze caressed Wu's cheek, and blew across the room in a swaying manner. The once bright candles cut their light off, sending wisps of smoke flying up onto the ceiling. Mist now a pitch-black, the room turned dark, and Wu felt the area around him cease to give off its illumination. A chill went down his spine, and the hairs on his neck stood up in random occurrences. However, he refused to open his eyes, opting instead to let his mind drift into the unknown...

* * *

_He instantly thought of Zane. Body turning numb, Wu eyes snapped open, only to be blinded by the shocking cold. Looming mountains of gray and midnight blue towered over him. Every inch of the ground was frozen, and his feet sunk into the soft, but dangerous snow as he hurried himself along. The wind was merciless, and blew frigid shards of ice that dug into Wu's skin, causing bead-like droplets of blood to fall onto the white floor. Snow. Snow. Snow. That was all he could process. Wrapping his arms around his shoulders, Wu could feel his breathing becoming shallow and rough, and his bones shook from the intense cold. In the midst of the deadly snow-storm, Wu felt confusion enter his mind. Was this a vision of Zane? Was this a vision of more danger in the future?  
_

_CRACK! Wu barely had time to register the piercing noise before the ground beneath him was neatly sliced in half. Legs like stone, Wu helplessly watched as the crack spread farther and farther before his knees finally gave way and he fell into an icy grave. Sight obscured, he waited for the haunting vision to end and for him to wake up in his dimly lit room again._

_Except, it never happened. Before the ground could cause his doom, a hot sensation soared through his system, and Wu slowly felt his mind begin to clear. His feet suddenly touched rock, and he balanced himself out before wiping the frost from his eyelids and peering into the darkness. Clothes now a bit wet from the melted snow, he brushed off the remaining layer of white._

"_Is anyone there?" He asked the empty space, only to receive no reply. Someone, or something, must have saved him from the end, or else he would have woke up back in the monastery. "Please, can anyone hear me?"  
_

_No answer. Wu frowned, but refused to give up, and began walking into abyss. Up above, the once roaring snow-storm halted its noise, leaving the area below to suffer the immediate and unnerving quietness. _

_I must find a way to awaken from his dream or find a clue to this puzzle, he thought. _

_Whooooosh. Wu stopped walking, feeling the presence of something rub against his back._

"_Where are you?" He questioned, his voice firm, but not demanding. _

_Whooooosh. Another rub against his body, this time on his leg. Wu remained still, not wanting to scare away the visitors. Gaze unflinching, his eyes quickly adjusted to the dark as he tried to make out the mysterious figures. _

_Whoosh! This time, the sound was louder, and Wu gasped as a small orb of light suddenly floated down next to his head. It was round and smooth when he pressed his finger on the surface with caution. _

"_Ah, what is this?" He mused, and clasped his hands around the strange object. At least he could now see, for the orb glowed brighter and brighter the more his grasp tightened. White and pure, the light exploded into a million pieces that scattered across the room, positioning themselves in the darkness like tiny, illuminating stars. Out of these stars, Wu could see several black silhouettes exit and make their way over in front of his view, their faces not yet revealed. Without a word, the figures continued their trek towards Wu, and each time they walked in front of a star, he could see what they looked like._

"_Memorize them, Wu," He reminded himself, "For they are important."_

_The first had dark, wavy brown hair dyed a shade of bluish-black that seemed to glimmer in the dark like the stars themselves. Wu could tell this figure was a girl, and her chocolate eyes radiated kindness._

_The second had long, dark hair with heavy bangs that blended in with the surrounding area. Her olive skin contrasted with this first trait, and her left dark brown eye was flecked with a startling gold. _

_The third, which Wu could see was a boy, had hazel-nut colored hair and the same colored eyes, his being different from the rest because a pair of pink-rimmed glasses was placed above his nose and shrouded parts of his other features. _

_The fourth was smiling, an attribute Wu found interesting, and this bright trait matched her appearance. With shiny, golden-brown hair, light 'Alice blue' eyes, and freckles that gave off a somewhat childish nature, he could tell she was an optimistic one._

_The fifth was another boy, and had a much more reserved looking attire. His dark coco hair was styled in a neat flip, and his midnight blue eyes seemed somewhat serious, giving off a stern and quiet aura._

_The sixth was a girl, and her scowl made Wu frown, but nevertheless he paid attention to her looks, as her features were the only things to go by after the vision ended. Her cold gray eyes that flashed scarlet (a trait Wu found...familiar) seemed to stare into his soul, and her dark brown hair was held high in a ponytail. _

_The seventh and last one that Wu saw was a boy, and he looked quite like the previous figure before him, minus the on and off redness in the irises. His hair was a few shades lighter than the other girl's brown, being a fallow color, and his gray eyes were much more darker, and seemed to give off a tactical and calculating look about them. Wu tentatively took a step forwards, hoping to speak, but the figures sensed his movement, and quickly scattered like mice into the darkness again. _

_"No, wait!" Wu shouted, and reached out, only to grab the empty air. "Who are you!?" The howling sounds of the icy wind filled his ears, and Wu gasped as the walls around him broke apart, letting in a flurry of snow that pounded his body with agonizing slashes and kicks. Losing conciousness, the sensei closed his eyes and awaited reality to bring him back..._

"WU!" A voice yelled. "WU, ARE YOU IN THERE!?

Huh?! Wu inhaled sharply as the pounding sound of someone at his door brought his mind to the real world again. The candles were long gone, and he inadvertently sniffed the smell of smoke into his nose. Half-coughing, half heavily breathing from the vision's ordeal, he heard the voice once more.

"Wu!" It said. Misako? Was that Misako? Wu stood up and felt the blood rush to his head. Stumbling towards the door like a drunk man, he flung open the entrance and straightened up before his friend could see his somewhat delirious state.

"Yes?" Wu said to a frenzied Misako. Her hair was a bit unruly because of the humid atmosphere in the area around the monastery, but she looked as beautiful as always.

"Nya, Dareth, and the kids are here with some...surprising news," Misako said.

Nya?

"I thought that she was at Ninjago City hoping to ease her mind about the ninja," Wu said.

"Well, they're not," Misako said quickly. "And they have something that you must see now!"

"What are we waiting for, then?" Wu grabbed his staff from the side of the wall and began to walk in a swift pace down the hallway. "Let us find out what this commotion is all about."

* * *

Nya had a bad habit of tapping her screwdriver on the table whenever nervous.

_Tap, tap, tap, tap. _She bit her lip and squirmed in her seat.

_Tap, tap, tap, tap. _She sighed and glanced at a banzai tree in the corner of the room.

_Tap, tap, tap, tap-_

"I would prefer you to stop," A voice said from behind her, and Nya turned around to see Garmadon giving her a stern look. "That table chips easily."

Nya's face reddened, and she put the screwdriver in her pocket before anymore damage could be done to the wood. In front of her, Dareth wasn't doing too hot either. Ever since ordering the kids out of the room, he was a bit jittery, and the fact that his eyes were glued to the poster of a thought-to-be-dead friend wasn't helping. Nya gave him a comforting stare, but she knew it probably wouldn't help.

"When is Wu supposed to get here?" She asked.

"Now," Another voice cut through the air like a knife, and Nya smiled at the sight of her sensei and Misako entering the room. "Good to see you, Nya."

"You too, Sensei Wu," Nya said politely.

"So, what is the problem Misako was informing me about?" Wu asked.

"Oh!" Nya gestured to the large paper on the table. "It's this."

Wu, Garmadon, and Misako gathered around the ominous letter. Nya saw flashes of sadness, confusion, anger, and even fear go across their faces, especially Wu.

"Zane's alive?!" Misako gasped.

"This...is not good, Wu," Garmadon stated the obvious.

"I know, brother," Wu ran his fingers through his beard and studied the paper. "I know."

"It's from Master Chen," Nya said, not bothering to contain the bitterness in her tone.

"Careful, Nya," Wu warned. "A bitter mind can blind the morals of some."

"Sorry," Nya apologized, and decided to hold her tongue until she was needed.

"Why would Chen send this out?" Misako inquired. "What does this mean for Kai, Jay, Cole, Lloyd, and Zane?"

"I do not understand this either," Garmadon admitted. "Chen has always been one for games...but this is extremely odd considering the fact he should be dealing with four powerful ninja."

Nya felt her blood turn cold, and she steadied her breathing in hopes of controlling the racing emotions in her mind.

"Does...does this mean they're in trouble?" Dareth spoke up from the sidelines.

"Maybe..." Wu. "But, let us not be completely alarmed."

"Sensei, are you all right?" Nya asked, seeing that Wu was a bit unhinged by the invitation.

"No," Wu said bluntly.

"Oh...well, what is it?"

"This 'Tournament of Elements' may be related to a vision I have just recently experienced," Wu said cryptically.

"How so, brother?" Garmadon inquired.

"The vision that I explored had several girls and boys, all whom I could sense had some level of importance and specialness to them," Wu explained.

"Your vision and this invitation can't be a coincidence," Misako said.

"But, how does this Tournament of Elements relate to them?" Nya asked.

"Fate..." Wu paused to consider his next words. "Fate has a funny way of speaking its mind. My vision...it was both amazing and terrifying. The realest one I've had in a long time. The ones I saw...I think I know what they're purpose in this tournament may be."

"And that is?" Garmadon said.

"They are elemental masters."

"Wait, elemental masters?" Nya exclaimed. "I thought only Kai, Jay, Cole, Lloyd, and Zane had elemental powers."

"We...lied to them," Garmadon said softly. "But for a very good reason...which I will now have Wu explain." He took a step back from the table.

Wu sighed. "We led them to believe they were the only ones with elemental powers because we wanted them to feel special."

Nya pursed her lips. "Okay, then. But, why?"

"Well, for starters, we never expected them to find out there were other elemental masters in the first place," Wu said. "But, that is not imperative right now. What _is _imperative is finding these elemental masters and allying with them."

"And why would we do that?" Dareth asked. "We barely know them, after all."

"Because if Chen has the other ninja on the island, we might be able to convince these guys to find them," Nya put two and two together. "Since Chen doesn't know them, he won't suspect that they'll be working for us."

"Exactly," Wu said.

"But, how are going to find these elemental masters?" Misako said.

"Well..." Nya considered all the possible options and ways. "I have a few ideas..."

* * *

**Ninjago City**

"Nya, are you sure this is legal?" Misako asked from Nya's side, the latter furiously typing codes into her computer screen.

"Absolutely," Nya replied, then lowered her voice. "Not."

"What was that?"

"Nothing!" Nya said quickly. "Listen, Misako. This is one of the ways we'll be able to find the masters, I promise."

"If you say so..." Misako watched with intent as Nya continued to hack her way into the Ninjago Security System from her shop's computer. Her plan was to look at the camera footage and find any signs of the figures that delivered the invitations. Beside her, Wu and Garmadon were busy looking up news reports on 'strange' events that could be related to elemental masters.

"How do you work this contraption?" Wu said in an irked tone, and held up the mouse, his face bewildered.

"I cannot seem to control this arrow thing," Garmadon mumbled from Nya's right, and the sound of rapid clicking echoed into the air.

"Don't worry, Nya!" Sally called from the other side of the room where she and the students were looking up news as well. "We'll get some info for you!"

"I owe you one, guys," Nya said, and stifled a laugh at the sight of her senseis having technology trouble. Turning her attention back to the screen, she zoomed in an apartment building and scanned the dark for any movement.

"There!" Misako shouted, and paused the video before pointing at a specific apartment door. Nya narrowed her eyes and could make out the nearly invisible form of a body placing a gleaming dagger onto the wall.

"That must be an elemental master's home," Nya concluded, and typed in some more requests. "All right, let's see what we've got."

"Nya, I think this is a violation of privacy," Misako whispered as Nya hacked into the government's files.

"Hey, we're trying to save the world here," Nya argued.

"Hmm...perhaps you are right.

"Ahah! Here we go!" Nya pulled up a document. "Wu, is this one of the masters from your vision?"

Wu walked over and nodded. "I am sure that is her."

"Name: Monika Weil," Nya said. "Age: 17-"

_Just like the ninja, _She thought sorrowfully. _No, you can't get distracted now._

"Nya, you okay?" Misako shook Nya's shoulder.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm fine," Nya said, and continued to give information. "Lives with her grandparents and has records in school of her acting...odd, and refused to attend high school."

"That is a bit peculiar," Misako said.

"It does not matter how strange a person seems," Wu said. "Only who they are."

Nya didn't argue with this statement, as it reminded her of a certain nindroid.

"Okay, who's next?" She said after writing down Monika's name.

"Nya, I found something!" Gene shouted.

"Coming!" Nya stood up. "Misako, can you search through the night cameras to find anymore elemental masters?"

"It would be my pleasure," Misako said kindly.

"Thanks," Nya said, and ran over to Gene.

"I found news about a girl in Jamoicai Village," Gene said as Nya approached him.

"Really, what's it about?"

"Well..." Gene suddenly became a bit uncomfortable. "Take a look for yourself." He pushed himself away from the computer to allow his friend get a better view.

"Jamoicai News," Nya said. "The date reads that this happened a few years ago. In a recent matter of events. Emylia Amorru, a sixteen year old girl, was said to have killed her entire family using what spectators have described as 'blood red matter'. She molded and bended the material before slaughtering her mother, father, and sister, all who are now being buried in the Jamoicai Village Funeral Home Graveyard." Nya felt her throat close up and she backed away from the screen. "Wow..."

"D'you think that Sensei Wu chose the wrong people?" Gene asked.

"No," Nya was surprised at how serious her voice had become. "If Sensei Wu says that these are the ones destined to help us, then I believe him. Killer or not, everyone has their reasons, and we just have to wait and see if she can be trusted or not."

Gene merely nodded. "Oh, and I also found some other news about a girl on this beachside town that can manipulate water, as well as a boy that can fly."

"Really, let me see."

Gene pulled up a news article by Samuel L. Jackson. "He lives in a small town called Tritan, which is by the sea. He was writing about this girl's show for the carnival. Her name is Aqua Light." He clicked on a picture of the girl, and Nya recognized Aqua's features as the ones Wu told her about.

"That's definitely her," Nya confirmed. "Who's the last one?"

"Norwin Swiftering," Gene said, and pulls up a video on the web showing a boy flying across the sky, his arms stretched out wide and face smiling like crazy. "Reported to have flown over Ninjago City and caused a bit of trouble with traffic."

"Okay, got it," Nya said. "Thanks, Gene. This helps a lot."

"No problem," Gene said, and Nya began to walk back to her computer.

"Aqua Light, Emylia Amorru, and Norwin Swiftering," She muttered, and wrote their names write next to Monika's. "Four down, three more to go."

"Nya, I believe I have found some more," Misako said excitedly.

"Seriously?" Nya said in a shocked tone. She then went to Misako's side. "Where are they?"

Misako points to three more camera screens, and Nya sees three separate figures slip into the shadows after placing invitations onto the walls of their perspective elemental master's house.

"Where are those three locations?" Nya questions.

"Two just look like regular houses, but one looks like the Ninjago City Hospital," Misako said.

"Can I get one real quick?" Nya pulled up some more files and grinned. "Ah, here we go. Jayde Kessra Meirene, Craig Granger, and Damien Porter."

"So, how many more do we have left?" Misako inquired.

"Zero, now," Nya said happily. "Sensei Wu!"

"Yes, Nya?" Wu didn't lift his gaze from a now tangled keyboard wire. "Blasted technology these days..."

"I think we have all of the elemental masters from your vision!" She exclaimed.

"Is that so?" Wu dropped the keyboard and made his way to Nya.

"Yep. Monika Weil, Emylia Amorru, Craig Granger, Damien Porter, Jayde Kessra Meirene, Norwin Swiftering, and Aqua Light."

"Excellent work, my dear," Wu complimented.

"Thank you, Sensei," Nya bowed in respect. "But, how are we going to convince them to aid us?"

"I would be more worried about convincing them that this is all real," Misako chimed. "Most of them look like regular teens. I doubt they'll be willing to go on a life-threatening journey just like that."

"Well, it's not like we have a lot of options," Nya said grimly.

"Nya is right," Garmadon said. "If they're in, that's good, but if not, then we cannot waste our time trying to convince them otherwise."

"How about this: We ask them to join, and if they say no, then we give them one last chance and tell them to meet us at the noodle house down the street. It is popular, after all. Maybe they'll have changed their minds by then."

"And if they still don't come?"

Nya sighed. "Then...then we go to Chen's island ourselves and try to fix this mess." She held up the piece of scrapbook paper that contained all the names. "To cover more ground, we'll each take two people, minus Garmadon that will just get one. I'll go to Jayde and Craig, as they seem to live near one another. Misako can take Damien and Monika, Sensei Garmadon can enlist Aqua and Emylia, seeing that those two girls live outside of Ninjago City, and Sensei Wu can get Norwin."

"Sounds like a plan," Misako said. "Let's just hope we can execute it properly."

Nya smiled, and envisioned the new recruits kicking Chen's butt on his petty island. No one, and she meant NO ONE, messed with her team, let alone family.

So, Master Chen was getting bored with playing with her brother, wasn't he? He decided to play another game, hadn't he?

She cracked her knuckles.

Well, Nya was ready to play as well. And this time, she would make sure not to lose.

* * *

**A/N: And that wraps up the first chapter of 'The World Always Needs New Heroes!' I hope you enjoyed this story, and please leave a fave, follow, and review if you can! I should be able to update every one-two weeks or so, as my schedule hasn't been too busy. To those wondering, the ninjas' ages have not been revealed, though Cole's voice actor said he was fourteen, that was in the very beginning of the first few episodes, so I'm guessing they've aged a significant amount since then, and that's why I made them seventeen. Thanks for reading! **


	3. Episode 2: The Problem with Destiny

**A/N: Hello everyone! TheCloudJumper back with the 2nd chapter of The World Always Needs New Heroes! Thank you all for your support and I hope you enjoy this new episode! **

* * *

**Episode 2: The Problem With Destiny**

Kessra, being a very busy nurse, had her share of strange hospital patients in her time working at the Ninjago Medical Center. She had dealt with plenty of interesting people before, such as the man who wet his pants every few minutes, or the kid that wouldn't stop throwing spitballs at her. But, despite the many irking and somewhat tiresome ordeals, never once in her life did she ever regret her decision in the medical field.

That was...until _she _showed up.

"Dr. Ryan, I require bit of assistance in Room B4-"

"No, wait!" Kessra glanced at the raven-haired woman lying on the bed. Jumping up, her patient, named Miss Nya Smith, waved her hands around like crazy. "Please, just let me explain! Darnit, I knew I shouldn't have brought up elemental powers until later..."

"Listen, ma'am," Kessra struggled to keep the strange girl from grabbing the phone. "Ma'am!" Kessra suddenly wished she took the day off...

"Uh, Dr. Meirene? Dr. Meirene?" The voice from the hospital phone said. "Are you-"

"HI-YA!"

"GAH!" Kessra's eyes widened as her patient karate chopped the phone out of her hands. "What in the world do you think you're doing?"

The girl calmly threw the phone back into its slot and brushed some hair out of her face.

"Allow me to start over," Miss Nya Smith said, and stood in front of the door so that Kessra couldn't make a run for help.

"Uh..." Kessra took a step back.

"I'm Nya, which you already know. And my brother is a ninja, a protector of Ninjago."

"I know what you said," Kessra snapped, her temper flaring. "But I'm not here for backstories. I'm here to treat you for whatever illness you have."

"I know," Nya said gently. "But that's not why _I _came."

Kessra crossed her arms and scowled. "I can see that now."

"Listen," Nya held out her palm. "I know that I brought this up at a random time, but it's important you hear the rest of my story."

"Does this one include ninja and elemental masters?" Kessra said flatly.

"Well...yes," Nya's cheeks reddened a bit. "But, that's not the point."

Kessra sighed. Maybe if she let the odd girl tell her tale, then she would leave. "Fine. I'll let you talk."

"Thank you," Nya said. "Oh, and sorry about kicking the phone out of your hand."

"It's...it's all right."

"So, do you want me to start over?"

To be honest, Kessra wasn't listening the first time, as she was too busy dealing with the fact that this girl started a regular 'nurse's room conversation' with 'Hi, so I hear you have an elemental power.'

Yeah, she was a reeeaaaal persuasive speaker.

"Sure, why not?" Kessra said.

"Okay. Well, my brother's a ninja. And I know how crazy that sounds, but it's true. His name is Kai, Kai Smith to be more exact. I'm sure you've heard of him before."

Kessra frowned. She _had _heard of him before. In fact, she had heard of all of the supposedly famous ninja that protected Ninjago from evil.

"Anyway, my brother and his team have been aiding Ninjago in its darkest times ever since they were fourteen," Nya continued.

"How old are they now?" Kessra asked, feeling a bit intrigued by her story.

"Seventeen. Well...Zane's a nindroid-"

"A nindroid?" The word felt bizarre on her tongue. "

"I'll get to that later," Nya assured. "But, Kai and his friends, along with my Senseis, Wu, Garmadon, and Garmadon's son, Lloyd, ended up fighting the Overlord two times, the first being when Ninjago was enveloped in evil residue-"

Now THAT was something Kessra was aware of. Who could forget the fact that an entire city was covered in darkness and roaming zombies? Every night for almost a month she couldn't shake off the feeling of dark matter entering her soul and ripping out who she was...

"-and the second being only a few months ago, when Zane..." Kessra heard Nya's voice crack a little. "When Zane sacrificed himself and defeated the remaining remnants of the Overlord's corruption."

Kessra vaguely remembered hearing about that on the news. "That's why there's a new statue in Central Park, right?"

"That would be correct." Nya confirmed.

"So..." Kessra tried to come up with the right question. "How am I a part of this?"

"I assume you've recently acquired this paper?" Nya brought out a tan sheet of parchment from her pocket and held it up. Kessra felt her insides grow cold at the sight of the familiar looking invitation.

"Why do you have that?" She asked.

"I believe the question is why _you _have that," Nya corrected, much to Kessra's annoyance. "And, I have the answer. My brother...he had the power to control fire. Zane had the power to control Ice. This ability is in their blood, and it's also in yours."

"Kessra felt the corners of her mouth tip downwards. "I think you're mistaken."

"So you have not received one of these slips of paper?"

"I-I didn't say that," Kessa stumbled over her words.

"I just want to know if you're like my brother," Nya said. "If you do have a power, it's imperative you tell me."

Kessra considered her options. A. Lie. Easy and simple, but for reasons unfathomable to her, she knew that if she lied then she wouldn't get over it, let alone get over the fact she let a patient down. B. Tell the truth. However, she could possibly get into a whole lot of trouble.

"How about this?" Kessra stood up straight and held her confusion behind a mask. "If I do have a power, why are you so interested?"

"Because it could possibly save the world."

Save the world? Was this girl insane?

...yes. But was she right? That Kessra did not know.

Option C. Show Nya, as she apparently wasn't leaving without an answer, and pray for the best.

Making sure not to move a muscle, Kessra closed her eyes and felt her fingers vibrate every half of a second. Adrenaline surging through her veins, the drawers located in the side of the room suddenly flung open, their contents soaring out of their metal prison and around Kessra's body. Knives, scissors, and pieces of metallic tools swirled with great ferocity.

But, Nya did not move. She didn't even flinch. She just watched.

Sensing her energy draining, Kessra turned her power off. The metal items then dropped to the floor, having served their purpose. Catching her breath, she looked up to see Nya studying the wreckage now surrounding her.

After a while, she said, "So, you have polarity?"

"More like crystokineticity," Kessra explained. "It's nto just metal I can control. It's all types of metals _and _crystals."

"You remind me of Cole," Nya laughed.

"Cole?"

"He's the ninja of Earth," Nya said, and a brief flash of pain went across her features, but was instantly replaced with eagerness. "So, you're probably wondering why I came, huh?"

"I'm wondering a lot of things, Miss Smith."

"Please, it's just Nya, Jayde."

"And it's just Kessra, Nya," Kessra replied.

"Well, I've come here to offer you a position."

"Like...a job occupation?"

"You could say that," Nya said cryptically. "It's more like I would be enlisting you for a mission."

"A mission?" Kessra said. "So, you need a medic or something like that?"

"No, I need your power," Nya said. "I've come here because my brother and his team have been kidnapped by a criminal mastermind named Master Chen."

"Wait, like the noodle guy that runs all these chain restaurants?" Kessra looked back to all the times she visited Chen's Noodle Houses to get a quick meal of rice and dumplings.

"Yep," Nya said. "But he's a notorious villain and the person that took my family away from me." Nya clenched her fists. "About four weeks ago, after Zane's death, Chen sent a paper to my brother telling him and the others that Zane was alive and located on Chen's dark island."

"Let me guess, they didn't come back?"

"Bingo," Nya said grimly. "They never came back. However, as you know, this invitation has been sent all around Ninjago. It's calling for Elemental Masters, or those with powers like my team. Since Chen is expecting random strangers to appear-"

"You're planning to send me to his island so that I can find your brother and friends," Kessra concluded.

"Precisely," Nya said. "But now just you. We've managed to locate six other teens close to your age to help in rescuing my family."

"Wait a sec," Kessra shook her head. "You're expecting me to agree to this?!"

"Well, I-"

"This cannot be happening," Kessra began to pace around. "I-I can't do this! I don't even have any training or whatever Ninjas do..."

"Jayde-"

"It's Kessra!" Kessra exclaimed.

_Clang. Clang. Clang. _Kessra gasped as she realized that she had made all the metal objects in the room stab themselves into the floor, causing the once perfect tile to crumble and split.

Nya slowly approached her. "Please-"

"Leave," Kessra said softly, not meeting Nya's gaze. "I'm not a ninja, and you have no right to come in here and tell me that I am."

Nya hesitated. "If you change your mind...meet me at Chen's Noodle House."

Kessra didn't reply, only gritted her teeth as the sound of Nya's running footsteps disappeared.

_I'm not a ninja, just a nurse. _

She held out her palms and repaired the damage before anyone could question the odd noises.

* * *

**Jamocai Village**

The usually deserted streets of Jamocai Village was bustling with vendors and shopkeepers when Garmadon visited the town. Pastel colored tents and bright hanging signs hung from above, letting consumers know what and where certain items were sold. The sky was filled with puffy, snow-white clouds and a golden sun. Carts and horse-drawn wagons trotted down the cobblestone street, their owners wearing straw-hats to block the burning rays of heat. Ignoring the shouts of 'that costs too much' and 'come buy this!', Garmadon strolled past the oblivious townspeople in search of a certain silver-eyed girl. From what Nya had told him, the girl no longer lived in the village, but that didn't mean someone didn't know where she could be found. Glancing around every so often, he decided to enter a nearby tavern in hopes of gathering information on her whereabouts.

_Cling. Cling. _The pub's bells jingled as Garmadon entered the building, and he took a seat at the bar. Politely turning down a beverage, he then proceeded to ask the waiter a question.

"Would you have any knowledge on Emylia Amorru?"

The waiter immediately frowned. "Why would you want to know?"

"From your tone I'm taking she isn't very liked around these parts?"

"How can you like a girl that murdered her whole family?"

"I can name a few reasons, actually," Garmadon said darkly, remembering his past times of being evil. "But, I am not here to debate. I am only here to find her."

"Well, she hasn't been seen for a long time,"" The waiter said. "Ran off into the woods, probably to escape arrestment."

"Which forest?"

"The East, last time I heard."

Garmadon bowed. "Thank you for you help." He then exited the tavern and searched for the rising sun that signaled the direction of east. Making his way outside Jamocai's outskirts, he passed numerous rice fields before locating the Eastern Forest. Vast trees occupied the area, and their leaves shrouded the ground below, causing darkness to encase the lower parts of the forest.

"Hmm, a perfect place for someone to hide," He mused. Beginning his trek, the sensei entered the forest with little fear. After walking for nearly two minutes, he decided to call for the elemental girl.

"Emylia Amorru?" He shouted. "Emylia Amorru?"

No reply. Sighing, Garmadon repeated her name a couple of times.

Suddenly, a faint rustling caught his attention, and Garmadon's gaze flickered to two glowing red orbs staring at him from the bushes. As fast as lightning, he preformed a backflip just as a bright crimson sword came coming his way. The sound of liquid forming caused him to duck, and several daggers nearly impaled his skull.

"I am not here to fight!" He shouted. "I just want to talk."

"Who sent you?" A voice called. "The village? The authorities?"

"No. I came here on my own freewill," Garmadon placed down his bowstaff and bowed to the empty air. "Please, I am merely here to ask you something."

Silence.

"Why?" Came the voice again, but he noticed that the tone was much more quiet and meek.

"Because I believe you host elemental powers."

"Elemental what?" Garmadon turned around to see a girl with gray coloured eyes and very torn and dirty clothes standing a few feet away. She was wearing a blood-red hoodie with silver armor on top. Her black trousers were both grimy and ripped, and her kneepads half-broken and hanging loosely off her leg.

"I take it you are Emylia?"

"Why...why do you want to know?" Her head was hung low.

"Because I have been led to believe you have been gifted with the elemental property of rage."

Emylia didn't respond, but her whole body tensed up when Garmadon said 'gifted' and 'rage.' Breaths short and abrupt, Emylia refused to look him in the eyes.

"I'm not here to fight, nor cause any anger," Garmadon continued. "Only to enlist you in helping my allies rescue my friends."

"Why me?"

"Because you are an elemental master. you have the capability to use your power to aid others."

Garmadon felt the air suddenly grow cold.

"Please...leave," Emylia said, voice steely.

_She killed her entire family, _The words Nya told him right before he left echoed in his mind.

"Whatever do you mean?" Garmadon said slowly, not wanting to provoke the teen.

"I said...leave! "Emylia's eyes turned a bloody red, and scarlet specks of rage fluid suddenly appeared in the air, forming a massive sword that was pointed directly at Garmadon.

"Hmm..." Garmadon studied her flaring vermilion pupils with great consideration. "I'm afraid we are at a disagreement, aren't we?"

Emylia merely grunted.

"Very well, than," Garmadon picked his bowstaff back up and bowed respectfully. "I shall leave."

She glared some more, her eyes staring into the sensei's soul.

Garmadon turned around and began to journey to the others again. "But, if you change your mind, meet me at Chen's Noodle House in Ninjago City."

The sound of liquid splashing onto the ground soon followed his departure.

* * *

**Ninjago City**

Wu felt nostalgia encase his thoughts as he sat on top of a skyscraper. His mind drifted off to when he first met Jay, the talkative inventor's failed wings having tossed him into a billboard and onto the roof of a building. Scanning his surroundings, the old sensei studied the now more formal and modest city of Ninjago. Technology was never Wu's favorite subject, and the events with the Overlord did nothing to improve his opinion on computers and flashy buttons. However, the balance between man and machine somewhat impressed him, and the fact that it was instated to honor his 'deceased' nindroid's life made it even more valuable.

Pouring some freshly brewed tea, the old man wondered when a certain air elemental master would show up. Truth be told, Wu had been sitting on the building for over thirty minutes, and had still not seen a fallow haired flyer around anywhere. Still, he was adamant that the (hopefully) newest addition to his team would appear soon.

Suddenly, the steam emitting from his cup of tea wavered. Humming softly, Wu didn't even bother to glance upwards as the sight of a fallow-haired boy came at him. Smiling, the sensei lifted his staff and positioned the weapon a little to the left...

"GAH!" The boy abruptly came to a halt as to avoid being injured in half by the man's wooden stick. Barely managing to dodge the staff, his pink glasses fell off and into Wu's lap. "Huh?!"

"Pleased to see you stopping by," Wu chuckled. The boy flew down next to Wu's sitting figure and gave the man a puzzled look.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"My name is Wu," Wu introduced. "And I suspect that you are Norwin Swiftering?"

"That would be correct," Norwin said, and faint smile tugged at his lips. "Can you give me back my glasses please?"

Wu glanced down at the pale pink spectacles in his hand. "Of course."

Norwin's smile brightened more, and he reached out to grab his glasses. "Thank you." After putting them back on, he blinked twice and tilted his head. "Whoa, you're old." He gasped. "I-I didn't mean it like that. I just meant that you're old because...you're old. But that's not the point! I was just surprised and all..." He trailed off when he realized that Wu was quietly laughing to himself. "You're not mad?"

"Quite the opposite, in fact," The sensei stroked his beard. "So, Norwin-"

"How do you know my name?" Norwin inquired.

"I have my ways," Wu said cryptically. "But, that is not the point."

"Oh, okay." Norwin extended his palm. "Pleased to meet you."

Wu returned the gesture politely. "You too, Mr. Swiftering."

"So, why are you exactly here, if you don't mind me asking."

"Not at all," Wu said. "I'm here because I need help."

"What kind of help?"

"You have the elemental power of air, correct?"

"Um..." Norwin's feet suddenly lift off of the ground. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure I do. Why?"

"I believe you have recently acquired this," Wu held up the invitation, and Norwin peered closely at it.

"Yeah, I got that this morning," He preformed a loop-de-loop in the air. "Didn't think much of it. Is it something important?"

"I am afraid so. You see, I am the sensei of Ninjago's heroes, the ninjas. Kai, Jay, Cole, Zane, and Lloyd all have powers like yours."

"So they can control air?"

"In a way," Wu thought of Jay again. "You've heard of Zane's death?"

"Yeah, it was all over the news," Norwin frowned. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"No need to apologize," Wu said. "But, after he died, my team received word from a man named Master Chen -"

"Ooh, the noodle guy!" Norwin's face lit up. "Oops. Sorry for interrupting."

"It's all right," Wu said. "Anyways, Master Chen requested they visit his dark island to rescue Zane, but the four have not returned. This invitation that has been sent out may hold the key to finding my family again."

"How?"

"Chen is searching for people like you," Wu explained. "People that can control elements."

"So...you want me to go o this dark island place and find them?" Norwin stopped flying.

"Not just you. My allies are currently trying to round up more elemental masters that might be willing to assist in this mission."

"I don't know..." Norwin shifted uncomfortably. "I mean...it sounds great and all to use my abilities to help others, but I don't think I'm good enough to."

"Norwin-"

"Maybe you should find someone else to take the job" Norwin hastily took a step back, and he gave a somewhat painful smile. "I'm just not sure I'm the one you're looking for."

Wu sighed, but knew that pushing the boy to accept the role of a hero was less than likely to work out. "Very well, Norwin. But if you change your mind, meet me at Chen's Noodle House later this evening."

"I'll...I'll try. Promise," Giving one more excruciating grin, Norwin soon took off into the afternoon sky and into a milky-white cloud.

Wu picked his tea cup up and began to make his way back to earth.

* * *

**Tritan**

_I hope I have more luck with Aqua than Emylia, _Garmadon thought to himself as he entered the seaside town of Tritan. The small fishing town was located right next to the Hagman Sea, and proved to be a very friendly and welcoming town. The streets were illuminated with glowing torches and vividly colored lanterns that floated every which way, and emerald green ribbons decorated the dilapidated houses that stood stacked upon one another. The sky was turning into the sunset colors which signaled dawn was approaching, and Garmadon knew he had to act fast if he wanted to find a certain waterbender in time.

Glancing at the merry townsfolk that occupied Tritan, he soon discovered a flyer on a cracked wall that contained a girl with golden brown hair and bright aquamarine eyes. Recognizing her as the girl from the found newspaper article, Garmadon immediately sought out the location of this supposed elemental master. After questioning several people, he soon was directed to the local carnival taking place for the town's annual sea-faring holiday, and entered the very happy and joyful area of tents and attractions. Passing corny carnival games and stands filled with fluffy cotton candy and buttered popcorn, he came to a light blue tent with patterns of waves decorating the outside base. Pushing open the curtains, he was engulfed in the applaud of the tent's inhabitants, and covered his ears in hopes of blocking out the noise. After the clapping died down, Garmadon found a seat and sat down.

_Hmm, I wonder why this floor is so damp._

"Thank you, thank you!" A haughty voice exclaimed, and Garmadon saw a man with blond hair and gray eyes wave his top hat around. "Now, what you've all been waiting for: My daughter, Aqua Light!" The crowd roared with approval and excitement, and soon the stage was occupied by the same girl on the flyer, and the same girl he was looking for. She was wearing an intricate navy blue dress with several layers of lace, each one cut and shaped into flowing swirls and waves of a regal marine. Her hair was in a high ponytail and swished back and forth with every step she took. Her grin reaching from ear to ear, Aqua gestured to the pots of water positioned on the stage in the corners, and held out her hands to silence the crowd. Then, without any warning whatsoever, the ground beneath Garmadon began to shake, and sprouts of water shot up into the air from under every chair. Gasping, Garmadon nearly fell over as the waterbender collected all the liquid soaking the dirt floor before creating one large bubble. Twisting and turning her fingers, Aqua then formed separate groups of water, which she soon changed to form different kinds of shapes and animals. The crowd whistled and yelled in glee, and she ordered the water to travel all across the stage before turning into a giant wave and encasing her body. The people gasped, and the atmosphere was thick in anticipation.

Garmadon leaned forwards, him too wanting to see the end of her performance.

_Spash! _The wave exploded into a million tiny droplets of water, causing the audience to get soaked. Water dripping off his clothes and hair, Garmadon watched as the crowd stood up and clapped, their praise echoing throughout the tent.

However, one person was not exactly happy, and Garmadon frowned as he saw Aqua's father give a disapproving glare at his daughter from the sidelines. The man ushered the waterbender away from everyone and outside the tent. Seeing his chance, Garmadon gave pursuit and followed the two.

"I thought you told me you had that trick handled," Aqua's father said sharply.

"I did," Aqua protested. "It's just that my breathing got a bit shallow and-"

"I don't care. This would never happen with your brother."

"But the audience didn't notice," Aqua said. "It's not that big of a deal."

"But what if something else went wrong? Something more major?" Her father sighed. "You know what? Just forget it. Go change into some regular clothing and go home."

"But, dad-"

"No buts!" Her father said sternly, and Garmadon turned around as not to give off the fact he was just ease dropping. Glancing at Aqua, the girl frowning a little, he made his way over to her.

"Hello, Miss Light," He said calmly.

Aqua instantly grinned at the sight of Garmadon. "Hello!" Her voice was very chipper and friendly-sounding, and she started to bounce on her heels a little. "I've never seen you around here before; are you new?"

"You could say that," Garmadon said.

"Well, I"m Aqua!" She introduced.

"I'm Garmadon."

"That's a cool name," Aqua complimented. "I can tell that you watched my show, as your clothes are a bit damp."

Garmadon looked down at his wet gi. "Yes, and might I say you did a fantastic job. I've only seen one another person do that before."

"Oh, well, I would love to meet her," Aqua said.

"So...why was your father yelling at you?" Garmadon prepared for Aqua to start to protest at this claim, but instead she just shrugged and continued to smile.

"He's just stressed, that's all," She said. "I'm not the best at what I do, as sometimes I mess up really bad, but he gets over it eventually."

"Hmm, I see," Garmadon mused. "Well, Miss Light, I have traveled to Tritan all the way from Ninjago."

Aqua lit up like a lightbulb. "Ninjago! Wow! I've always wanted to go there! My brother went there once on a school trip, but he said it didn't work out that well. Something about flying cars crashing down towards the earth and lampposts tossing people around. Eh, he was probably lying just to get attention..." She laughed.

Garmadon chuckled nervously. "I can assure you we don't have anything like that." He lowered his voice. "Anymore."

"So, anyway, I've never been there before, but I've heard from my other friends that live there that it's quite a marvelous place. Minus some strange events from pitch-black storm clouds and stone warriors on the streets. But, besides that it seems amazing to live there." A flicker of sadness flashed across her face. "You see, my dad always NEVER lets me travel anywhere, even when we all got invited to tour the Ninjago Collage to help my brother with his sports scholarship."

"And why is that?"

"My asthma," Aqua said, and although a grin was still plastered on her face, her tone betrayed her emotions. "It's kind of...bad?"

"You speak of your asthma like it's a question."

"It's not very easy to talk about," Suddenly, her eyes widened as big as dinner plates. "Ooh! I just had an awesome idea! Since you're new around here, I can show you around and we can get popcorn and cotton candy and candy and candy-"

"Did you just say candy three times?"

Aqua giggled. "Maybe. I love sugary sweets."

"I can see," Garmadon muttered. "However, as much as I would enjoy doing that, I'm afraid I am not here just to sightsee."

"Then why are you here?"

"I am here to enlist you in helping my friends and me," Garmadon said.

"And who are your friends?"

"The protectors of Ninjago, also known as the ninja," Garmadon answered. "You see, an old rival of mine, Master Chen-"

"The noodle guy?" Aqua asked.

"Yes, the noodle guy," Garmadon said. "He sent a letter to the four ninja taunting them to come to his island and try to retrieve Zane, their teammate."

"That doesn't seem very nice," Aqua said.

"They've been gone for over a month now." Garmadon sighed. "But, my team has recently found out about this-" He held out the paper that was once neatly in his bag.

"Oh I got that this morning!" Aqua exclaimed brightly, as if the invitation wasn't inviting her to madman's prison. "It was very artistic and well-done."

"It was sent by Master Chen himself," Garmadon said. "It's asking for elemental masters, and you are one of them."

Aqua furrowed her brow. "Really?"

He nodded. "I am speaking the truth. Chen is trying to lure people with powers like yours to his island."

"Is that why I can control water?"

"Yes."

"...cool."

"I suppose it is 'cool', Garmadon said.

"So, you want me to go to this island and rescue these guys?"

"Not just you, of course. You'll be-"

"I can't."

Garmadon felt his heart drop. "Pardon me?"

"I can't," Aqua gave a weak smile. "I mean, don't get me wrong, I would if I could. But..."

"But what?"

"My family needs me. I need them. I care too much to just pack my bags and go away. With my brother about to leave for Ninjago City for collage, it's my duty to help out more and run the family business."

"Aqua-"

"I'm sorry, I truly am." The waterbender said, her tone no longer containing the joy that once resided. She began to walk away into the busy streets. _  
_

Garmadon sighed as the girl disappeared.

* * *

**Just Outside Ninjago City**

Misako held up her hand to block the shining sun as she approached the somewhat worn down house. Coming closer, she realized that the dwelling wasn't in the best of shape, with the roof being somewhat dilapidated and the walls covered in tangled ivy and noticeable cracks. Misako walked up the wooden door and knocked gently, fearing that if she pushed too hard the entire entrance would topple over.

No answer. Pursing her lips, she knocked once more and received the same response.

"Hello?" She said. "Is anyone here?"

_Creak. _The door suddenly flew back, revealing a dimly lit living room.

"Uh..." Misako wasn't one for intruding, but she had to make sure that the elemental master she was looking for wasn't just hiding from her. Cautiously taking a step forwards, she slowly made her way into the house and closed the door behind her. Looking around, she saw that, despite the shabby appearance from the outside, the inside was relatively neat and tidy. It was quite small, with a clean purple couch in the corner and a tiny kitchen on the left. A window with the blinds closed let in stripes of light, but didn't help with the overlaying darkness taking over the area.

"Hello, is anyone here?" She asked again. "I'm not a criminal, nor an enemy. I'm just looking for Damien Porter."

A slight shiver ran down her spine as she felt the presence of someone enter the room.

"Who are you?" A serious voice said, and Misako jumped slightly at the sound. Turning around, she saw a boy with a raggedy red t-shirt, ruby jeans, and a gray sweatshirt standing at the entrance of the kitchen. In his hands were several neat stacks of papers and documents.

"I'm Misako," Misako said. "And you must be Damien?"

"Yes," The boy said, a look of uncertainty on his features. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to ask for assistance," Misako said, deciding to get straight to the point. She then went on to explain her and her allies' predicament starting from Master Chen's note to the whole plan of allying with Elemental Masters. All the time Damien kept a poker face on, his expressions kept stone-still.

"So you want a few others and me to aid you in finding your team?"

"Yes," Misako said.

"Why us though? There are other elemental masters. Others probably more experienced and skilled. So, why me? Why not them?"

Misako considered Damien's question. "My friend, Wu. He is a very wise man who knows more than I. He had a vision that stated you and these other six souls are fated to help in the battle between good and evil."

"And you trust his judgement?" Damien inquired.

"With my life," Misako said firmly.

Damien put down the papers and crossed his arms. "I'm not sure I can help you."

"Why not?"

"I'm not a hero," Damien said simply. "I'm not a ninja."

"That's why my friends and I are going to train you."

"Listen, as much as I would like to save your friends...I have a family to help. As you can probably tell, we're not exactly rolling in money. It's my job to help with that problem, and it's not my fault your in this onus."

"That's the point though. It's not just about me," Misako said. "Chen is a maniac, and whatever he's planning-"

"You're saying he wants elemental masters. Just because I'm an elemental master doesn't mean that he'll try to harm me. Heck, he probably won't care if I attend or not. I have a family to keep safe. Not a game to play with a noodle house owner."

Misako didn't know what to say.

"I'm not the person you're looking for," Damien said. "Sure, I can shoot a bow or turn melt into the shadows, but I'm not a hero. I'm not a ninja."

"Very well, then." Misako reluctantly headed towards the door. "I am sorry for wasting your time."

"It's not big deal," Damien said. "But...but you're saying you've been searching for these masters for the past few hours, right?"

"Yes."

"No offense, but I doubt they've agreed as well." He rubbed his neck awkwardly. "I mean, we all have our own lives to lead. You have to consider the fact that we can't just go with complete strangers into a mission that we may or may not return from. Danger isn't our middle names, as some would suggest. We have families, friends, and those we care about. We have lives."

With those words, Damien closed the door.

Misako let out a frustrated sigh as she rubbed her fingers through her hair and began to walk back towards Ninjago City.

_I hope the others are fairing better than I am. _

* * *

**A/N: And that concludes Chapter 2! I've been sick for the past few days, so I apologize for any grammar mistakes and whatnot. See you in 1-2 weeks with Chapter 3: Chance of a Lifetime. **


	4. Episode 3: Chance of a Lifetime

A/N: And how is everyone this fine night/afternoon/morning? I AM SO SORRY FOR POSTING THIS LIKE A MONTH LATER!

*takes deep, deep breaths*

In terms of the story, here is Chapter 3: Chance of a Lifetime. This chapter will focus on Monika and Craig, but will also start to lean more towards canon. Once again, Ninjago does not belong to me (and if it did than it would be MUCH more different) and the OC's do not belong to me either.

* * *

**Chapter 3: Chance of a Lifetime**

Craig felt sweat pour down his face as he watched the football players line up. Mind spinning with different play tactics, the fifteen year old prepared to unleash a slew of logical comments in hopes of guiding the buffoons that were about to play. All around him his fellow highschool students paid no attention to the somewhat small and skinny boy standing stone still, preferring to direct their gaze towards the playing field. The air was hot and humid; the sun gave no mercy. An eruption of both supportive cheers and ascertaining jeers came from the home team and the 'outsiders', otherwise known as the rival team. A game was war, the players soldiers. And only one side came out alive.

His team quarterback quickly positioned his feet. The whistle sounded, its noise growing deaf among the crowd, and, without further ado, Craig's team's quarterback was given the ball.

"Go left!" This command left Craig's lips without hesitation, and he hawk-like eyes flew from each player to the next, not missing a beat. Continuing his onslaught of orders and plans, his words were drowned out by the students' battle cries. A receiver ran down the field, two opponents right behind, and the quarterback scanned the area for an opening. Firing more shots of what to do, Craig's envision of a perfect play was smashed as the quarterback was slammed down into the dry grass. Sighs and sounds of 'aw' and 'ooh' echoed from the crowd, and Craig groaned before falling into the stands.

* * *

"Security!"

"Coach, I'm telling you-" Craig brought out some large pieces of paper full of charts and graphs. "If you just put Jenson as receiver and Dawson as linebacker-"

"Leave me alone," Coach Becker peered into Craig's face assiduously. "whoever the heck you are."

"Craig. Craig Granger," Craig said. "Jenson is built to run, but you've put him in a position where he's stuck defending instead of catching. Also, I accumulated some play tactics and strategies for-" He felt himself being lifted up and glanced at a grizzly security guard's face. "Why, hello there! Care to listen to some football-"

"Take him away, Peter," Coach Becker commanded.

"W-what!?" Craig stammered as the guard took him away. "Hey! This team sucks! You need my help!"

"See ya, loser," A nearby football player splashed some Gatorade into Craig's face and laughed.

"Hah, hah, very fun-GAH!" The guard opened the exit door and threw Craig into the hallway. Head smacking against the tile, his vision was filled with floating footballs. "Ugh..."

"Excuse me?" A female voice said, and Craig looked up to see a raven-haired, amber eyed girl standing over him. "Are you Craig Granger?" He could see that she was suppressing a grin.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Craig pushed himself up and started to walk away. "What do you need? A homework assignment done? Some test aced?"

"What? No!" The girl said quickly.

Craig stared at her suspiciously. "So, what is it that you want?"

"I need your help, but it doesn't relate to school," The girl said. "I'm Nya." She held out her hand.

Craig took it. "Nice to meet you, Miss Nya."

The girl named Nya gestured to the lockerroom door. "What happened?"

"Oh, nothing," Craig said, his voice thick with sarcasm. "I was just being a nobody again."

She gave a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry."

"Why? It's not your fault," Craig said. "I'm used to it anyway; happens every day."

"Well, how would you like all that to change?"

Craig froze. "What?"

"You heard me," Nya said. "How would you like all that to change?"

"Well, that depends on what you're planning."

A bit of mirth appeared in the girl's eyes. "You want a short story of long story?"

"Eh, I have time. Give me the long one.

Nya explained her predicament, starting from her brother to the villainous 'Master Chen.' Once she was done talking, she waited for Craig to respond.

"Hmm..." The analytical boy pondered the girl's story. It seemed a bit fanciful, untrue. But she seemed confident, almost unwavering, when speaking of her problem. Plus, she didn't seem to be the kind of person to lie.

"So, will you help us?"

Craig hesitated before answering. "Sure, why not?"

Her face turned to both shock, joy, and confusion. All emotions that Craig was able to read.

"Really?" She said. "That's awesome! No, that's amazing!" She then glared at him. "Wait, why?"

Craig sighed. "Being a savior of Ninjago sounds like it'll help me a lot in terms of 'I'm a nobody'. Maybe people will listen to me if they knew I became a hero."

A flash of disappointment appeared on her face, but it was quickly replaced by a stern gaze. "Thank you, Mr. Granger. Your contribution to this mission will not be taken lightly."

"Is that a good thing, or a bad thing?" Craig chuckled.

"It depends on how you look at it, I suppose." Nya said in an honest tone.

"So, when does this whole 'hero' stuff start?"

"Tonight. At the Master Chen Noodle House downtown. I suspect you've been there before?"

"Nah, not really a fan of sushi."

"Here's the address," Nya brought out a piece of paper and wrote down the location.

"Thanks," Craig.

"Until then, Mr. Granger."

"Until then, Miss Nya."

* * *

**At the Edge of Ninjago City**

"Whatcha got there?"

Monika swerved her head to the right and smiled. "Nothing much...well, I think it's nothing."

"Ooh! Lemme see, lemme see!"

"Gah!" Monika was shoved into her bed as a white figure pushed her back. Body shimmering, Mica unfolded the fallow paper and frowned.

"The Tournament of Elements? What kind of rubbish is this? Oh well, it'll make a good fire starter..." Mica prepared to rip the paper in half.

"Wait, please!" Monika said.

"Boy, you tear that paper and yer gonna wish you were still alive!" A haughty, clipped voice said, and another pale figure appeared right next to Mica. His archaic attire-an emerald and crimson kilt with a scarlet kilt-donned him as a ghost from the early centuries.

"Pfft. It's just stupid junk mail, Faolan," Mica claimed.

"It doesn't really seem like junk mail," A small voice chirped, and a child with light brown hair and wearing old-fashioned, red overalls suddenly popped out of nowhere.

"Quiet, Leo," Mica said sharply.

Monika pursed her lips as she watched the three ghosts study the strange item in Mica's hands.

"Can I just please see what it is?" She said softly.

"Why of course, lassie!" Faolan said, and tipped his plaid hat towards the living, human girl standing in front of him. "Mica, give her the bloody paper."

"Whatever," Mica threw the letter at Monika.

"Thank you," she said, and began to scan the words. Confusion swept through her mind as she read the weird note. "Wow, this is odd."

"It says something about elements," Leo observed. "Does that mean this guy, Chen, wants people with..." He looked down at his feet. "_Powers."_

Monika felt the hairs on her neck stand up. Powers? Powers like talking to the dead?

"Um..."

"I think it's an absolutely splendid idea!" A high-pitched voice exclaimed.

"Shut up, Conner. No one cares what you think," Mica scowled.

"My, my. Doesn't someone have their ghost knickers in a twist," Conner appeared next to Mica, his black-rimmed glasses falling off his nose. "Did your girl ghostfriend dump you again?"

"Be nice, Conner," Monika said gently.

"I do agree that this letter seems very peculiar, though," Conner said, giving his two cents. "What sort of man asks for people with elemental powers?"

"Chen wants people like Monika," Mica sneered. "Of course he's crazy!"

Monika felt herself shrink under the poltergeist's gaze. It was no surprise to her, or everyone she knew, that Monika was...different. Ever since she was little, she was able to communicate with the dead. (Or, as they preferred: the afterlife denizens). Life was never a dull moment. The dark-haired girl always had some sort of oddity about her. Too quiet, her parents said. Too anti-social, her ex-schoolmates believed. Too somber. Too happy. Too...too _abnormal. _

Currently, Monika was living with her grandparents, the only people (alive, that was) that understood her. They never pried into their granddaughter's 'weird' abilities or behavior, deciding to just accept Monika for who she was. And the teenage would always be grateful for the respect they treated her.

"Hey, Monika!" Mica yelled.

"Mmhmm," Monika said absentmindedly, still staring at the note.

"Your grandma just called from downstairs," Leo informed.

"What?" Monika said.

Right on cue a voice bellowed from her living room. "Monika! Someone is here to see you!"

"Coming!" Monika shouted, and raced out of the door, the three spirits trailing behind her. "What do you..." She stopped as she realized who her grandmother was talking to.

A woman, maybe a bit younger than her grandparents, was sitting on the couch with a cup of tea in her hands. Her eyes shone with a soft kindness that instantly made Monika feel at ease.

"Hello, Monika," The woman stood up and held out her hand. "I'm Misako."

"Pleased to meet your acquaintance," Monika said politely.

"Misako is here because of some urgent business," Monika's grandmother explained.

"Indeed I am," Misako said. "If I may ask, did you get an invitation this morning?"

Monika felt her blood grow cold. "Why...yes, I did."

"Ah, so you know about the Tournament of Elements?"

Monika gave a slight nod.

"Ooh, this sounds interesting," Mica cooed from her side.

"I don't mean to sound rude, but have you ever experienced any paranormal activity?" Misako asked.

"Um..."

"Let me think," Mica said. "How about being able to speak to spirits? I mean, that's gotta count for something!"

"It's not bad," Leo said.

"I don't trust this lady," Faolan said. "How does she know about all this stuff?"

"I...I can talk to ghosts," Monika said, her voice a hushed whisper.

"Hmm..." Misako mused. "Well, Miss Weil. May I offer something?"

"What do you mean?"

Misako took a deep breath before explaining why she came to Monika's house, starting from four ninja and ending with the offer for Monika to join an elite team of elemental masters.

"Wait, I'm descended from an elemental master?" Monika gasped.

Misako nodded. "Yes."

"It's official: this woman is a loony-bird," Mica groaned from the background.

"Belt it, Mica," Conner scolded. "We musn't distract Monika from the duty at hand."

"What duty?!" Mica scowled. "This old lady just made up the stupidest story I've ever heard in my dead life."

"I know it's a lot to take in," Misako gave a wry smile. "But are you willing to help my friends and me?"

Monika glanced at her grandmother in nervousness. Did she want to be a hero? To leave everyone and everything she loved behind?

Mind made up, she looked back at Misako.

"I would love to, I would," She said, and felt her heart drop at the sight of Misako's crestfallen face. "But I can't leave my grandparents and life behind."

"What life?" Mica exclaimed. "Monika, you have no life! Don't screw this-"

"It's her decision," Faolan whacked Mica on the head with his hat. "Not yours."

"He's right," Conner sighed. "Miss Weil must decide her own fate, not us."

Misako didn't say anything for a long time, her eyes not daring to meet Monika's.

"I'm sorry for bothering you both," Misako said, tone hollow. "But if you change your mind, come to Chen's Noodle House downtown." The old woman then grabbed her tea and exited the house.

Silence. Shifting awkwardly on her feet, Monika tried to ignore the burning gaze that her grandmother was giving her.

"Monika..." Her grandma said, and waved Monika over. "Come here, please."

Monika slowly walked to her loving relative. "Yes?"

"Monika, you have always been a special girl," her grandmother said. "A very, very unique and kind soul. And you always remind me of your mother. You have her looks, you know."

Monika gave a small laugh. "Yeah, I know."

"But you also remind me of your mother because she is always too timid and shy. Always so fickle and stubborn."

A dark look passed over Monika's face. It was true. Her mother and father's unwillingness to truly care for their daughter was the reason the teenagers no longer lived with them.

"I want you to know that your grandfather and I aren't always going to be around," Her grandmother said somberly. "We haven't got much time left on this planet. You must learn to face your fears, the outside world, and grab it by the tail. Life is only going to get harder, not easier."

"Grandmother..."

"Consider this offer more, Monika," Her grandmother urged. "And maybe you'll find a new path."

"I will, grandmother," Monika said quietly, and ran up to her bedroom, not wanting to hear more.

* * *

**Chen's Noodle House **

**8:00 PM**

_Ugh, I never will get used to the putrid smells of the city,_ Emylia thought as she walked down the street. The sky was streaked with blackened clouds and the remaining colors of dusk. Most of the buildings were lit with dazzling Neon lights and fancy decorations, some advertising food or other products, others useless trinkets with flashy buttons and outrageous 'discounts'. _Man, why did I do this again?__  
_

To be honest, Emylia had no idea why she chose to give the offer a second chance. Maybe it was because it interested her, or because the old man didn't look at her like she was a monster. Emylia approached a large restaurant with a fat, lifeless man holding noodles standing on the roof, and she thrust open the doors.

_Ring, ring! _The door's bells rung with a happy sound. The inside of the building was rather modern, with a conveyer belt boasting delicious noodles and soda wrapping around the tables.

"Emylia!" A familiar voice called out, and she looked to see Garmadon waving his hand.

_Let's get this over with, _she thought, and reluctantly sauntered over to his side. To her surprise, his table was bursting with a plethora of teens. Six of them to be more exact. Most had hair in the range of brown to blond, while one had hair as dark as the forest's bottom floor when at night.

"Um...hi," Emylia said slowly.

"These are the other elemental masters I mentioned earlier," Garmadon said. "Guys, meet Emylia Amorru."

"I'm Norwin," A boy with pink-rimmed glasses introduced, his voice cheerful, yet quiet at the same time.

"Monika Weil," The girl with dark hair and a goth-like attire said politely.

"Craig," A rather geeky boy chimed.

"Aqua!" A girl with sparkling blue irises and a bubbly aura exclaimed.

"Damien," A more calm, reserved boy said, and nodded his head to acknowledge Emylia's presence.

"And I'm Kessra," A teenager with a nurse's outfit said.

"Since we're all here, let's get started, shall we?" Someone suggested.

"Sure thing, Sensei. As you all know, I'm Nya," A girl with raven-black hair began. "and this is Wu, Garmadon, and Misako." She pointed to her companions: An old, bearded sage, a gray-haired man with a green and gold gi, and a bright faced woman with some scrolls in her arms. Several of the teenagers muttered 'hi' and 'nice to meet you', but the rest stayed silent. "My team and I are here because, well, let's be honest: we need help. And so far, only one of you six have agreed to help."

"We don't know anything about this mission or if we trust you," Emylia spat. "So, yeah, can you blame us for being a bit cautious?"

"No, but we want you to understand how dangerous Chen is," Garmadon said calmly.

"It's just that this is so sudden," Damien gave his two cents. "Why us? Why not others?"

"You are elemental masters," Misako said. "You are all descendents of heroes, and you all possess extraordinary abilities."

_They're anything but special, lady, _Emylia scowled internally.

"Chen is not a force to be reckoned with," Garmadon said. "He is strong, powerful, and currently had the upper hand with him capturing my students."

"Is this supposed to make us feel better?" Craig said sarcastically.

"But I assure you that with a little training, you seven can beat him."

"We're really, really sorry this is so...so shocking," Nya said. "But we didn't know what else to do. My brother has been missing for over a month. I'm not sure he's even alive at this point. We don't know where they went and how to find them, but we do know that you all can help."

The seven teens remained still, unflinching as they took in her words.

"Is there anything we can do to convince you guys?" Nya asked.

"I'm outta here," Emylia pushed her way past Aqua and began to saunter away. "This is crap and you all know it."

"Wait!" Nya shouted.

_Ring! Ring! _The shop's bell suddenly rang as five men entered the restaurant. Emylia stopped as the odd looking quintet made their way towards the cashier. Each one had strange, violet markings on their faces, and their eyes were rimmed with white, scarlet, and a pitch-black. Their clothes were half ripped and contained an assortment of peculiar, menacing designs.

"Well, they look like some balls of sunshine," Craig muttered dryly.

"I wonder why they're here," Norwin said.

"Maybe to get food?" Aqua said innocently.

Without warning, one of the snake-like men reached out and grabbed the cashier.

"Uh-oh..." Norwin whispered.

"I don't have any lien!" The cashier shouted.

"They're robbing him!" Aqua exclaimed.

_No dip, Sherlock. _Emylia thought, and she grabbed the exit door's handle before swinging it open. _Have fun saving the day. _

"Please don't hurt me!" The poor man pleaded.

Emylia hesitated.

"Hey!" Her head turned around and she saw the goth girl (Monika?) walk towards the criminals, her eyes ablaze with fury. "Leave him alone!"

One of the robbers laughed before pushing Monika back into a table, causing a bowl of hot soup to fall down her back.

"Ah!" Monika gasped as hot liquid burned her skin.

Emylia scowled. Making sure not to let her power show, she snatched one of the robber's shirt and brought his face to hers. "You mess with her, you mess with me." Not waiting another second, Emylia flung him around and kicked him towards the other four cultists.

"Grrr..." The men advanced towards Emylia.

"So, uh, who wants to help?" Norwin meekly suggested, and he ducked as a shrimp came barreling at his head. A massive food fight was beginning to form.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm just going to stand around and let this happen," Kessra said nobly, and she jumped out of her seat. Hands raised, all the silverware began to levitate into the air.

"Cool, we get to fight using our powers?" Aqua summoned some water out of the others' drinks and hurled it at her opponents

"Heads up!" Emylia shouted as she tossed a cultist towards Norwin. The boy flew up into the air as to avoid being pummeled. Seeing her chance, Aqua launched a massive water whip towards the enemy's body and flung him into the corner.

Damien looked towards Kessra. "Can you turn out some of the lights for me?"

"Uh, sure?" Kessra hit the lightbulbs with her silverware, causing some parts of the restaurant to be encased in darkness.

"Thank you," Damien then disappeared. Making sure not to be seen, he sneaked up behind a cultist and snatched the back of his sash. "I'm afraid it's lights out for you." Not missing a beat, the teenager quickly knocked the criminal out with a swift punch to the skull. "There we go."

"T-take this!" Norwin yelled, and threw a big plate of noodles at the robber's face. The cultist howled in pain and ran into the wall, blinded.

"One of them is getting away!" Emylia exclaimed, pointing at an escaping criminal. The man pushed the doors open and raced into an empty alleyway. "C'mon!" She and the other six teenagers ran after the robber.

"Where'd he go?" Norwin said, staring at the robber-less street. Only a few scraps of paper and broken bottles were what was in the once occupied space.

"Here," Aqua said to Monika, and gently waterbended the soap out of her clothes.

"Oh, thank you," Monika said softly.

"No problem," Aqua chirped.

"Ugh, I can't believe they got away!" Emylai scowled.

"You know what I can't believe?" Craig said in awe.

"What?"

"WE ARE SO AWESOME!"

Damien covered his ears as Craig continued his onslaught of words.

"I mean, I didn't know we could pull that off! We are so cool!"

"Oh please, that was just a fluke," Kessra assured.

"Really, 'cause the way you levitated that metal didn't seem like a fluke," Craig retorted.

"We did just beat up a bunch of criminals together," Aqua chimed. "Maybe we are heroes."

"Yeah right," Kessra scoffed. "No offense, but those guys were just a bunch of wimps."

"Well, I think we should consider Nya's offer," Aqua said bravely.

"No way," Emylia said.

"I'm out," Kessra said swiftly.

"Give it a chance!" Craig pleaded.

"Maybe we should take a vote?" Norwin suggested.

"This is not a democracy," Wu said from above, and jumped down towards the seven teens. "You must all decide whether to take this responsibility. There is no voting. You must take fate into your own hands and make the choice for yourself, not because others are doing the same."

"How about we all agree, then?" Craig said.

"How about not?" Emylia said flatly.

In the background, Monika internally sighed.

"So, what ya going to do?" She turned to see Mica taking pleasure in her predicament. The spirit floated around in the air with his arms behind his back and a smug grin on his face.

"Don't know," Monika admitted. "I'm not very sure what to make of this situation."

"You know what I think?" Mica floated to her side and put his arm around her shoulder, part of his skin going right though her body. "You're scared."

Monika pursed her lips. "I am merely anxious about leaving my grandparents."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Mica rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say."

"Will you please be quiet!" Monika said in a hushed whisper.

"Who are you talking to?" Norwin asked.

"Yeah, Monika. Who ya talking to?" Mica laughed.

Monika flashed a quick and hopefully reassuring smile. "No one, Norwin."

"Oh, okay." Norwin went back to the conversation at hand.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Lying to your friends is never the way you go," Mica said.

"Will you just-"

"Give you advice?" Mica went through Monika's body and threw up his palms. "Well, why didn't you say so?"

"That's not what I-"

"Listen, spirit girl," Mica said firmly. "Did you choose to have this power?"

"Well, no."

"Do you want this power?"

"I..." Monika considered his question. Her power caused others to isolate her, to nearly ruin her life...but, she couldn't imagine a world without the dead to talk to...to have somebody to listen besides her grandparents. "I guess so."

"Then _use it,_" Mica grinned. "You're a ghost girl, so use that title to your advantage. You heard that crazy old man: the world always needs new heroes. So be that person and take the dang job."

"He's right, lassie," Faolan suddenly appeared next to Mica. "Yer the most talented living person I have ev'r met. Use that brain of yours and take the job!"

"Ninjago needs people like you!" Conner exclaimed.

Monika's eyes glanced around at all the quarreling teens, and she let out a deep breath. "Fine."

"Monika?" A voice interrupted, and Monika looked up to see Garmadon and the rest of the group staring at her. "Are you alright?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. I'm fine, really." Monika said swiftly.

"So, what do you think we should do?" Kessra inquired.

"Huh?"

"We're trying to decide on whether to help these guys or not," Craig explained. "We've all given our two cents about it, and now it's your turn."

"Oh...um..." Monika struggled to come up with an appropriate reply.

"They're all divided over what to do," Mica mused from the background of her mind.

_Then what should I say? _Monika thought.

"How about this-" Craig steered the conversation away from Monika, much to her relief. "We flip a coin."

"Are you serious?" Emylia said.

"Think about it. A coin has a fifty-fifty chance of either landing on heads or tails. Since we're all conflicted over what to do, let's just have the math do the decision making."

Everyone took Craig's words in, and Monika swore she saw Mica's eyes give off a bit of mirth.

Norwin was the first to speak. "I'm okay with that, as long as the others are, too."

"'Kay, than. You guys cool with this?" Craig received six bobbing heads as a response. Taking a quarter out of his pocket, he rubbed his hands together. "Here we go. Remember, it's fifty-fifty, so it's as fair as it can get. Tails we go, heads we don't. Got it?"

"Got it," Norwin whispered, all though no one heard him except Monika.

With a flick of his wrist, Craig tossed the coin up into the night air. Everyone's eyes were glued to the mesmerizing metal as it's silver texture illuminated the inky black sky.

"Pfft. Fifty-fifty my ghost butt," Mica scowled.

"Mica..." Faolan said.

"Don't you even think about it," Monika hissed, her anger about to boil over from her 'friend's' nonsensical behavior. Her attention, however, was brought back to the now bouncing coin that rocketed past the teenagers' legs and into the darkness of the street.

_CLANG! _The sound of metal falling on stone resonated through their ears, and Monika peered into the dimly lit driving lane.

No one moved.

"Shouldn't one of you go retrieve it?" Wu said.

No one moved.

"You people are pathetic," Mica groaned, and made his way over to the darkened area.

"I'll go," Monika said quickly, not wanting the poltergeist to intervene in fate. Legs like Jell-O, she cautiously trekked forwards. With little light guiding her path, she barely managed to spy the small coin lying lifelessly on the ground. Forcing her head to bend downward, Monika kept herself calm.

"Well, what is it?" Craig called from behind.

Monika gasped. Not a loud, noticeable gasp, but a gasp so small and soft that only one other person, or spirit, could detect the noise. Nearby, the lampposts seemed to flicker on and off. Nearby, the cry of a baby echoed through Ninjago.

And nearby, an inventor, two Senseis, and six ordinary teens froze as the word escaped Monika's mouth.

"Tails."

* * *

I apologize for how fast-paced and/or sloppy this chapter may be. I've been real busy lately and it wasn't until I was checking out my story that I realized how late I was in updating. Still, I hope you enjoyed. See you soon, TCJ


	5. Episode 4: Training Day

A/N: Welcome back my fellow story-readers! This chapter is probably the only one that'll be non-canon, as *cue dramatic music*…

IT'S TRAINING DAY!

That's right, folks. The seven (somewhat) dysfunctional and totally-not-fighters are going to have to get their game on if they want a chance at stopping Chen. There will be action. There will be moments when the OC's will endure physical and mental pain. *Laughs manically*. Bonds will be made and rivalries will form.

But, for now, REVIEW TIME:

Darkrainbow: Please stop sending in your OC. I'm not trying to be mean, but I CAN'T accept her, especially since she's the epitome of a Mary-Sue and conflicts with the main plot too much. She's overpowered, Clouse's daughter, and a love interest of Kai, a character that will not appear for MOST OF THIS FANFIC. So, please stop sending her in.

AwesomeAuthor: Thank you!

Rider4life: Thanks for the kind review! It's fortunate to know that late updates aren't a big deal with my readers, as I'm usually busy with a lot of life-issues.

TheBigCapybara: I did think of Craig being a perfectionist when I read his submissions, and I'm glad you enjoyed how I made his character!

With all those things said, on with the chap-I mean EPISODE!

* * *

**Episode 4: Training Day**

The air was thick with both anxiousness and excitement as the seven soon-to-be ninja entered the monastery. In front of them, Garmadon and Wu led the teenagers towards an unknown area.

"We used to have a huge monastery a long time ago," Kessra vaguely remembered Nya stating before the latter had to leave.

"What happened to it?" Kessra had asked.

"Oh, it got burned down to the ground by an army of snakes."

Kessra didn't bother to ask anything beyond that. She secretly hoped that killer snakes weren't involved in the 'Lets save the missing ninja' job.

The monastery was a large, rather beautiful building with curving roofs and a plethora of brightly lit rooms that smelled of tea. Reaching the serene mountain setting had taken a toll on the time, and the faint hues of pink and crimson streaked the sky, indicating that dusk was about to begin. A feeling of peacefulness rushed over the ex-nurse, something that never appeared in the chaotic hallways of the Ninjago City Hospital.

Like her fellow teammates, Kessra had little to no difficulty (physical, that was) when it came to leaving her old life behind. Her father (stepfather to be more specific) was a selfish and pompous politician for the city that didn't bother to get involved in his daughter's life, and her mother was a timid scholar who never really minded Kessra either. Both she chose not to tell of her new adventure, not that it would make a difference.

Struggling to keep up with the old duo in front of her, (how fast could the elderly walk?!) Kessra couldn't keep her eyes from darting towards each new recruit's face. She didn't really know what to make of the others besides the fact all but one were unwilling to help Nya's group. They all seemed relatively nice. Well, everyone but that silver-eyed girl who kept glaring daggers at no one in particular. And Kessra realized that she would have to make friends with them sooner or later, seeing as they would soon become her teammates and possibly life-savers.

"Excuse me, Mr. Wu?" Norwin raised his hand in a meek fashion. "Where exactly are we going?"

"I would much rather prefer you call me Sensei," Sensei Wu said kindly. "And to answer your question: we are heading to a very infamous room called 'The Training Center'."

"The Training Center?" Craig said from Kessra's left. "How is that infamous? It's just punching a bunch of bags and stuff like that."

Wu smiled. A cryptic, almost ominous grin. "I'm afraid it's much more than that, Craig. In fact…" He gestured to Garmadon, and the latter pulled apart two ebony doors. Several gasps emitted from the teens' mouths, including Kessra's, and they stared in shock at the sight in front of them.

"Whoa!" Aqua exclaimed in a high-pitched squeal, and nearly pushed Kessra into the wall as she raced forwards.

The room was a massive space full of top-of-the-line training equipment. Fake, burlap dummies with target-painted backs hung from the high ceiling. Nearby, a large weapons rack with a multitude of hazardous items (swords, bows, and knives) was securely attached to the white wall, their blades gleaming. A round contraption with upright boards in the shape of humans spun in a clockwise motion was placed in the corner, and from the roof came a network of ropes and other things perfect for parkour.

"Not so fast, Aqua," Garmadon held out his bowstaff to stop the girl from running into the room.

_Crack! _

Kessra barely suppressed a grin as the sensei's staff was split in half by the waterbender, her body moving too quickly to be stopped by mere wood.

"And that, dear brother, is why don't stick flimsy objects out to stop people," Wu chuckled at an annoyed Garmadon.

"I'm so sorry!" Aqua exclaimed.

Garmadon's eye twitched slightly. "It's quiet all right."

"Oh, okay!" Smile taking her face, Aqua bolted back around to all the glorious equipment. "Ooh! What does this do?" She pressed a button on the weapons rack.

_SHING! _The panel behind it suddenly flipped over, revealing a bunch of new racks full of shiny blades.

"Ooh!" Aqua squealed, and grabbed two of the daggers before waving them around.

"Seeing as Aqua has found the weapons, I suggest choosing one yourselves," Wu said to the students.

"Wait, we get _weapons!?_" Craig shouted in amazement. "That is awesome!"

"Speak louder!" Emylia growled, her hands covering her ears. "I don't think we can hear you!"

Craig ignored Emylia's comment, opting to just run towards the training room. Kessra and the other remaining five teens soon followed, their energy now up to the max.

"We have a few days before Chen wants you all at the docks," Wu said as his new students explored their surroundings. "That will hopefully allow Garmadon and I to train you in the art of being a ninja."

"What kind of talents do we have to possess?" Monika asked softly, and Kessra could tell that the black-haired girl was subconscious about her abilities.

"Your elemental powers already make you a force to not reckon with," Garmadon said kindly. "Being a ninja is hard work, which is why we must help you achieve your full potential."

"What's a 'full potential?" Craig asked.

"Every ninja must overcome a certain obstacle, both mentally and physically, to fully become a true hero. Before you all, my own five ninja had to achieve their full potential, and in the end they became very powerful people."

The room went silent at this new revelation. The thought of unlocking a full potential both intrigued and scared Kessra, but she kept her mouth shut tight.

"What happens when we unlock our full potential?" Norwin asked quietly.

"You will become your element and acquire great powers," Wu said. "Which reminds me..." He gestured to the weapons rack. "Time is of the essence. We must begin training."

"And how are we supposed to do that?" Craig asked. "Punch some dummies? Shoot some arrows?"

Wu smiled. "No. We start with the obstacle course."

Kessra gulped.

* * *

_THUD! _

"LOOK OUT!" Aqua screamed, and managed to duck just in time before Craig's body came flying at her head and onto the floor.

"This. Sucks. So. Much," he groaned. Suddenly, he felt someone grab his arm and help hoist him up, and Craig looked to see Monika giving him a warm smile. "Oh, thanks."

"No problem," she whispered, and quickly walked away before he could utter another word.

"Who's up next?" Wu called from atop of the obstacle course.

Everyone immediately took a step back, not wanting to suffer the same fate Craig had. They thought it would be fairly easy to get past the wooden dummies, stands, and spinning deterrents, but it turned out to be a living nightmare. Craig had bravely volunteered to go first, but found out soon enough that his pride would not get him anywhere but the floor.

"Isn't there an easy mode or something?" Emylia asked coldly.

"No," Wu said lightly. "Now, is anyone else willing to volunteer, or will I have to choose?"

Everyone sweat-dropped before shifting awkwardly in their places.

"Norwin," Garmadon pointed his half-broken staff at the small boy. "Glad to see you're going to participate."

"Me!?" Norwin squeaked. "Uh, o-okay..." He readjusted his pink glasses before slowly walking over to the entrance of the obstacle course.

"Begin," Garmadon pressed a red button, causing the whole machine to start. Norwin took a shaky breath and began a fast spring, his feet jumping from block to block in a rather graceful motion. Reaching a large wall with few rocks, he hesitated for a moment before asking, "Are powers allowed?"

Garmadon nodded. "Yes."

"Hey, you didn't tell me that!" Craig said incredulously.

Garmadon shrugged. "You never asked."

The other teens let out a few laughs, causing Craig's face to turn a cheery red.

Norwin flew over the giant wall before landing back down and studying what lay ahead. The obstacle course was designed to test a person's multiple strengths and weaknesses: agility, power, speed, and reflexiveness. All things required to be a good fighter. The spinning dummies, all with blunt swords sticking out where their hands were supposed to be, were located on the giant stage in front of him. Norwin waited a few seconds before running into the fray and dodging an attack. Using his wind abilities, he pushed himself into the air and landed back down...

right where a sword was headed.

_BAM!  
_

"NORWIN!" The six other teens shouted in unison, and watched as the small boy was punched off the training course and onto the carpet. Kessra flinched as she heard the faint sound of bone cracking.

"Oh, dear," Monika said, and she and the others raced over to where Norwin had been thrown. He was sprawled on the ground, face contorted into a mix of pain and misery, and Kessra bent over to inspect the damage. A large, purple bruise had begun to form on his ankle, signaling where the injury was.

"Is he all right?" Damien said.

"He sprained his ankle," Kessra said, letting out a sigh of relief as she realized he had not fully broken anything.

"Then what was the cracking sound?" Monika asked.

Kessra traced her fingers along Norwin's hand, and he flinched.

"Broken finger, maybe," Kessra said.

"At least it wasn't something worse!" Aqua said cheerily.

"This is insane!" Emylia scowled soflty, and turned to Wu and Garmadon, the two watching the scene with interest.

"This is training," Damien said calmly, facing Emylia's angry demeanor. "And getting hurt is one of the many things that comes along with learning how to fight."

"Anyone have any ice?" Kessra inquired.

Aqua brought out her water bottle and froze the liquid inside before breaking the plastic and giving it to Kessra. The nurse then applied the ice to Norwin's ankle, causing the fourteen year old to open his eyes.

"Where am I?" he asked.

"On the floor," Emylia said bluntly.

"You were injured while on the course," Damien explained. "You sprained your ankle and broke a finger."

"Oh...okay," Norwin said, and sat up, rather accepting of his wounds. "Thanks for the ice."

"Thank Aqua," Kessra said. "I'm just the healer."

"Thanks, Aqua," Norwin gave a wide grin, and the waterbender smiled back.

"Hate to break up this sentimental moment," Damien interrupted. "But I believe we still have some training to do."

"We should probably take a break from the obstacle course," Garmadon suggested. "Why not try and focus on choosing a weapon and learning how to use it."

The seven teens nodded vigorously, and headed towards the weapon racks.

Aqua quickly found her own deadly weapons: two twin daggers with navy blue handles and long ribbons flowing from their ends. She waved them around proudly, displaying them like a prize, only to cause all the nearby water to fly around and soak everyone.

"Oops, sorry..." she chuckled nervously.

Kessra found her weapons rather quickly, too. Seeing as her power was related to metals and crystals, she opted to use a set of throwing knives (all made out of pure earthen materials) and began to toss them at a nearby dummy. They glowed a slight green when she used her elemental power to control where they hit, and each one stabbed the dummy's heart.

"Nice job," Wu complimented, causing her to blush a little.

Damien took a bit longer to find the perfect weapon. His was a dark ebony bow, complete with indigo arrows and a black quiver with a matching belt. The arrows were razor-sharp and pointy, almost to the point where they could possibly be used as swords, and he made sure to keep them down when shooting.

Nowin's weapon was slightly different from Damien's but still consisted of a bow and arrows. The bow was a bright baby blue color with white symbols running down the sides; the arrows were magenta colored, minus the burgundy tips, and more skinnier than Damien's. His quiver was also different, going around his shoulder rather than his waist, and was a salmon color with stripes of snow and aquamarine. A small dagger was also in his possession, and was a light silver color with a dark handle.

Monika chose a large, byzantium sickle with a glossy black handle that seemed to give off an ominous feeling. It was about a foot taller than her, and was surprisingly light to handle, but required a firm grasp and a careful mind to control. The sickle, like Norwin's bow, had several lines of symbols running down the wood, and they radiated a dark violet, contrasting with the white space around it.

Emylia had already had a weapon when she came to the monastery. It was a huge war hammer with a crimson ribbon wrapped around the gray handle and crisscrossing downward. The large piece of weaponry was rather intimidating, but Emylia assured that it was rather hard to use when not lifted properly, and promised to not harm anyone but the enemy when the time came.

After a while, six out of the seven teenagers had found their weapon, but Craig was still having trouble locating one that would match his abilities.

"What's your power, Craig?" Kessra asked him.

"It's hard to explain," Craig admitted. "I can suck out colors and paint objects."

"Hmm..." Kessra stared at all the weapons and wondered which one would suit her new teammate.

"Craig!" A perky voice said, and the two looked to see Aqua excitedly pointing to a long bowstaff. "I think I found something!"

"A staff?" Craig said, puzzled, but walked over anyway.

"It's hollow inside!" Aqua explained, and opened the latch of the staff, showing the empty tube. "You can trap colors, so use this thing to do that for you."

Craig grabbed the bowstaff and tossed it a few times in the air. He then waved the weapon around and grinned."Thanks, Aqua. I think this'll be perfect."

Aqua gave a quirky, lopsided smile before rushing off to see the others.

* * *

"Now that you all have chosen your weapons, Garmadon and I have decided to try and see how well you can control your elemental powers."

The seven teenagers gave Wu and apprehensive look. They knew that the senseis would be wanting them to show off their abilities, but were slightly unsure of how to not make a fool of themselves. Craig had made it clear that the training would be extremely rigorous.

"Elemental powers are very useful in battle, but they can also be very dangerous," Garmadon lectured. "You must learn to control your abilities or else they will backfire on you. Hopefully, your spinjitzu will unlock much quicker than my previous ninja."

"Spin-what now?" Kessra said in a flummoxed tone.

"Spinjitzu," Garmadon repeated. "is a special form of fighting that can only be accomplished by highly trained warriors. It requires extreme focus and dedication."

"How long did it take for Kai and the others to learn it?" Damien inquired.

"A few weeks," Garmadon said grimly. "But Spinjitzu is not necessary to become a good ninja. Mastering your elemental power, however, is. So, I suggest we begin at once." He paused, then pointed his cracked staff at Aqua. "Miss Aqua is the ninja of water."

Aqua waved, her excitement palpable. "Yep, that's me!'

"Will you please demonstrate your power?"

"Uh, sure," Aqua raised her daggers and closed her eyes. Suddenly, a large amount of water appeared out of thin air, causing several of her teammates to cursorily step back. Opening her eyes, Aqua then lunged the water at the dummies in the corner of the room.

"Whoa..." Norwin gasped.

"Thank you." Garmadon gave a curt nod toward Aqua, and the latter merely smiled brightly. "As you see, Aqua was able to manifest the liquid in the air and form a bubble. I suggest concentrating on gathering water even in the most driest of places, as you never know when pieces of liquid may be hiding. Also-" He gave a wry grin. "Your aim was off." He gestured to the obvious holes in the wall.

"Oops, heh, heh," Aqua sheepishly rubbed her neck. "Sorry."

"Monika Weil," Garmadon said, causing the black haired girl to jump in surprise. "Are you paying attention?"

"Yes, Sensei," Monika said politely, a slight blush on her cheeks. "Sorry, Sensei."

"It's all right. I'm just making sure your head isn't in the clouds," Garmadon said. "You are the ninja of Soul, correct?"

She gave slow, insecure nod. "Yes, Sensei. I have the ability to communicate with the dead."

"Wait, so you're a ghost girl?" Emylia said rather bluntly.

Monika bit her lip and glanced down at her shifting feet. "Yes, I suppose that's another way to put it."

"I think it's pretty cool," Kessra gave Monika an encouraging look.

"Monika's ability to talk with spirits is very handy when in battles," Garmadon said. "Will you care to show us?"

"Uh..." Monika blinked rapidly, her gaze fixated on a nearby armor stand. "I don't think it'll work now."

Garmadon frowned, but didn't pry into the girl's hesitance. "Very well. Maybe we'll be able to talk about this later." He then pointed at Emylia. "Miss Amorru here possess the element of rage."

"But rage isn't really an element," Craig said. "Well, sort of. I mean, it's an adjective, a feeling that you get when you're angry. How can you convert that energy into something physical?"

Emylia let out a soft growl from behind Craig, and flicked a loose strand of hair out of her silver eyes. "How is Art an element, Craig? Whatcha going to do? Paint me to death?"

Craig felt his face go hot, and he walked up Emylia.

"Craig..." Garmadon said in a warning tone.

Craig stopped, but backed away after seeing his sensei's death glare. "All right, all right."

"Thank you," Garmadon said. "Now, Emylia. Seeing as you want to cause trouble, why not show us your own element?"

"No thanks," Emylia said, her voice now surprisingly soft sounding. "I'd rather not."

"It is nothing to be ashamed of," Garmadon assured. "No one will judge you."

Emylia glared at Garmadon, and shook her head in a rapid motion. "I. Said. No."

Garmadon sighed. "Fine. Anyone else want to give a go at showing off their element? Damien?"

The stoic boy perked up at hearing his name. "I would be happy to, Sensei."

Garmadon gave a relieved breath. "Thank you."

Damien stepped forward, his eyes narrowed and focused on what he was about to do. The room was lit, but there were several spots that contained dark shadows or area that were near dark. Feeling his body disappear, he heard his teammates gasp as he vanished from sight.

"Where is he?" Norwin asked.

A calm sensation took over Damien as he flowed through space and time, his body gently moving around the room.

"Over here," he said after reaching his destination, a dark area in the corner.

"Damien is the ninja of Darkness," Garmadon said. "He can travel through shadows and darkness."

"What about in light?" Craig inquired.

Damien shook his head. "I'm afraid I can only go through dark areas."

"Then what's the use of that in daylight battles?" Emylia scowled. "Or when we're fighting in bright light. I doubt Chen's fortress will have dark areas all around, especially if he's expecting all sorts of elemental masters."

"Well, I-"

"Damien's power is useful, just in certain situations," Garmadon said. "And that's that. His power does not make him any weaker than you or me. Now, who's next?"

"I'll go," Craig said, shooting an annoyed glance at Emylia, the latter merely shrugging.

"Go for it, Picasso," she jeered.

"Oh, I'll go for it all right," Craig seethed. Grabbing his staff, Craig walked up to the center of the stage and began waving the stick

Being a city kid, Craig never really had the chance to practice his elemental power. But there were times when he was along and able to get a few minutes of training in. Feeling the rush of adrenaline soar through his veins, Craig grinned as the carpet below him became a dull gray. The white walls suddenly turned gray, too, and even Garmadon's robe began to look different the more Craig activated his power. The colors of white, gray, black, gold and green swirled in the air, creating a large circle of various shades.

"Craig is the ninja of Art," Garmadon chimed. "He can control different colors and use them to create things from them."

Craig cast a snarky look at Emylia, then prepared to make something new. Watching the colors mold and bend, he figured that he would be able to make a simple sword.

Suddenly, the particles began to shimmer and waver. Craig's head began to feel dizzy as he watched his creation take form.

"Are you all right, Craig?" Kessra called to him from the crowd.

"Never better," Craig said woozily. _C'mon, you have to do this! Don't faint!_

"Craig, I think you should-"

_SPLAT!_

Garmadon's sentence was cut off short as Craig's paint exploded, sending bits and pieces of paint and color all over his teammates and senseis.

"Oh dear," Wu muttered.

"Awesome job, Craig," Emylia said sarcastically. "You're a real artist."

"Whatever," Craig scowled.

"It's all over my glasses," Norwin said sadly, and tried to wipe the thick paint off his spectacles.

"I'm sorry," Craig said, feeling rather guilty for covering his friends in goop, and used his hands to erase all the paint off of their bodies. The walls, floor, and Garmadon's sensei all returned to their original state, as if Craig had never bended the color out in the first place.

"I think that is enough training for one day," Wu said. "Why not go clean up and prepare for bed?"

"That sounds lovely," Kessra said, and she followed her teammates out of the training room's doors.

"Do you think their ready?" Wu asked Garmadon, a worried look plastered on his face.

"They will need to learn how to work together," Garmadon sighed. "Especially Emylia and Craig. But they must also learn to balance out each other with their powers, not try to outrank. Only then will they be able to fight Chen."

"We only have a few days, brother," Wu said.

"I know...I know."

* * *

**Later the Night**

Damien wasn't one to underestimate. Sure, he was quiet, reclusive, and rather cold, but that didn't mean he was useless. Unfortunately for him, most of his teammates probably thought of him as having the weakest power, and Emylia wouldn't even show off hers! His power was strong, but only useful when there was darkness around, so he couldn't blame the other teenagers for believing his element to be a setback.

"I am so tired..." Craig complained as he, Damien, and Norwin walked down the hall. Garmadon had directed them towards the boys' dorm where they would be staying for the next few nights. The hallway was dimply lit and full of ancient paintings and sculptures, but the trio was too exhausted to pay attention to the beautiful decorations.

"I am as well," Damien admitted, and stifled a yawn. Beside him, Norwin was barely awake, and the young boy was hovering a couple of inches off the town. His eyelids kept fluttering open, then closed, and his shoulders were slumped.

"Me...too..." Norwin said, struggling to keep himself conscious.

"Here," Damien said, and put a sleepy Norwin on his back.

"I'm fine..." Norwin yawned, but nestled his head into Damien's neck.

"Mmhmm," Damien chuckled. The sound of Norwin's snoring echoed through the hallway.

"You did good at training," Craig said to Damien.

"I highly doubt that," Damien said sullenly.

"Why? It's obvious you have a promising power."

"Everyone believed that my power was useless."

"Do you believe that?"

"No, I'm not one to really care about others' opinions, but it may interfere in fights and battles."

"Well, if it makes you feel better, I think your power is extremely strong. I mean, not in the light, obviously, but in darkness you can disappear. And I'd say that's very useful."

Damien stared in surprise at the sudden observation. "...Thank you."

"No problem," Craig shrugged, and took out the boys' room key as they approached the resting area. "Well, here we are." He put the key into the lock and turned it slightly, then gently pushed the door open. The room was simple enough, with three beds (one pink, one purple, and one sunset orange), a large dresser, two windows with their curtains drawn, and a bedside table with a shining lamp on the surface.

"I wonder what time it is," Damien said as he set Norwin down on the latter's bed.

"Maybe ten or eleven," Craig guessed. "Seems later, though."

"We better get to bed if we want to get a good night's rest," Damien said logically.

"Good idea," Craig faceplanted onto his sheets. "Ah...so comfortable."

Damien opened the dresser to find some night wear, and quickly changed before Craig decided to take his face out of the bed.

"Here," he tossed the art ninja his own night clothes and prepared to wake up Norwin, only to let to young boy get some rest. After Craig changed, the two got into their own beds.

"G'night, Damien," Craig mumbled before falling asleep.

"Night," Damien said, and let his eyes close before darkness took over.

* * *

**The Girls' Dorm**

"I hope that we'll get a huge breakfast tomorrow!" Aqua said in a bubbly voice. "Ooh! Like orange juice and bacon and eggs and pancakes and waffles and sprite and biscuits and candy-"

"I don't they're going to serve candy for breakfast," Monika said gently as she brushed Aqua's hair. After traveling through the maze of hallways in the monastery, the girls managed to locate their room. It was almost exactly like the boys, except that there were two sets of bunkbeds and each of them were different colors.

"I LOVE biscuits," Aqua said chattily. "Especially with jam or peanut butter or butter or jam..."

"You already said that," Emylia snapped.

"That's because jam's my fave," Aqua said. "Like strawberry and grape and-"

"Ugh, just kill me now!" Emylia flopped into her pillow and groaned.

"We'll probably just get fruits and vegetables," Kessra guessed.

"Aw..." Aqua whined.

"How do you think the boys are doing?" Kessra asked her comrades. "They seemed a bit more worn out, Norwin especially."

"They're probably asleep by now," Monika said. "We should we heading to bed soon, too."

"I wish that I had a way to write to my family," Aqua said sadly. "They live so far away, and I left so quickly."

An awkward silence filled the room. Aqua glanced at everyone.

"Don't you guys want to see your families?" she inquired.

"My parents aren't exactly likable," Kessra said. "My stepdad's a politician that's more worried about his job than his family, and my mom's a run-of-the-mill librarian who doesn't want me in her life."

"What about you, Monika?" Aqua asked.

"I have my grandparents," Monika said. "But that's all."

"Emylia?"

The silver-eyed girl refused to answer, choosing to just ignore Aqua's words.

"Don't mind her," Kessra said. "She's just being stubborn."

"Why didn't you use your power at training?" Aqua asked.

"None of your business," Emylia scowled.

"Oh, okay!" A flash of sadness went across Aqua's face, but was replaced by excitement. "So, what do you think we'll be doing tomorrow?"

"With our luck, probably that obstacle course," Kessra moaned.

"It'll get easier," Monika assured. "once we learn how to hone our abilities more."

"We have two more days," Kessra said pessimistically. "Two days to learn about fighting and tactics and how to use our powers! How on earth are we supposed to accomplish this mission when the best of the best weren't able to?"

Monika bit her lip. "I don't know."

"Well," chirped Aqua. "If we don't try, then how will we know we're not good?"

Kessra frowned, but didn't say anymore.

"So, what do you think the other contestants will be like?" Aqua asked.

"Power-hungry, bloodlust," Emylia said from her bed. "It's a competition, and that means the competitor won't be that easygoing."

"I hope that we'll meet some nice people," Aqua said.

"They'll most likely ally against us," Emylia said. "We have to think strategically if we want to make it far into the contest."

"I'm just anxious about fighting one of you guys," Monika admitted.

"We don't know if that will perspire," Kessra said confidently. "Besides, we need to focus on the matter at hand: finding the missing ninja. The whole competition doesn't matter if we can't accomplish that."

"What do you think happens to those who do lose?" Monika asked, a hint of fear in her voice.

"Let's not dwell on such things," Kessra said wisely. "It's not smart making ourselves nervous."

"You're right," Monika said, and prepared to turn her lamp off. "You guys ready for bed?"

"Yes," Kessra went under her silver covers. "G'night everyone."

"Don't let the bedbugs bite," Aqua giggled.

"Yeah, yeah, we get it," Emylia groaned. "...goodnight."

"Hopefully we get some good rest," Kessra said. "I have a feeling we're going to need it."

* * *

A/N: And that concludes Episode 4! Thanks for you guys' patience in these updates. My life has been pretty hectic, but I'm glad to have supportive readers! Fave, follow, and review please!

Until next time, TCJ!


	6. Episode 5: What Did We Get Into?

A/N: What?! An update finally on time!? That's right folks. Here's Episode 5 right on schedule (I think...). There's not any new news, so please read and review! Seeing as I don't want to stray from canon that much anymore, I decided to use a little bit of a timeskip later. Hope it's all right.

**Darkrainbow**: Please do not get angry. I only said I wouldn't except Star because she's a Mary-Sue OC and because there are certain parts about her that will mess up canon and the story. Should you scrap her? No. Just fix. I can't have her because she's Clouse's daughter AND because she apparently hates all the main characters except for Kai, which, might I say, is a bit too much.

Second, she's WAY overpowered. She can do about a hundred different aerial kicks, backflips, etc, but her only weakness is that she gets angry really quickly? That's not really a weakness compared to all the amazing stuff she's capable of doing. Heck, Kai is a hot-head and he has other flaws that make him a plausible being. Plus, she can teleport, which is technically impossible if it's not her power. (Also, you didn't give me her elemental power)

Third, and I admit, this doesn't exactly fit in with the problem (but it bugged me nonetheless), grammar. Grammar. Grammar. Grammar. No correct punctuation at ALL. I usually won't let that bother me, but all the reviews you've sent me are hurting my head.

I'm sorry if this comes off as mean, rude, or annoying. I would have PMed you about this problem, but you don't have an account. Star isn't the worst OC I've seen (as I've seen plenty of characters via fanons and whatnot) but she needs a lot of improvement.

**Rider4Life: **Thanks for reviewing! I actually planned from the beginning to introduce their powers on training day.

**AwesomAuthor13: **It's glad to know I have patient followers! Thanks for reviewing!

* * *

**Episode 5: **

Monika couldn't really see how waking up at 6:00 A.M would increase her fighting abilities. Nor how being forced to balance tea pots on her head, run twenty miles straight with a giant robot behind you, or walking on a tightrope on a large mountain would help her become a better ninja.

Of course, though, she didn't say this out loud.

However, her_ teammates._..

"This. Officially. Sucks." Craig fell to the rocky ground, his body coated in sweat. The seven new ninja had been told by Wu to climb up the mountain behind the monastery and search for a rare tea plant that would create some healing liquid. Instead of a nice, herbal essence, though, they had found a large pack of wolves ready to tear their skin apart. After several chases, fights, and 'so-help-me-god-stop-crying-your-eyes-out-Norwin' (the last one being from Emylia more than once), the group had escaped alive and relatively unharmed.

"I don't get it!" Emylia scowled, and threw her hammer down. "How does fetching tea make us stronger!? We've been put through all these stupid tasks and skills, but the senseis haven't even let us back in the training room!"

"Maybe we're at the beginning stage?" Norwin suggested quietly.

"Or maybe we should just trust our teachers and carry on with our job," Monika said softly.

"We have one more day tomorrow." Emylia crossed her arms and blew some strands of hair out of her red-rimmed eyes. "How on earth do they expect us to fight Chen and his army?"

The other six fell silent, with the occasional gasps and pants from a tired Craig resonating through the air.

"We don't know anything about fighting or Spinjitzu or even being a ninja," Kessra said logically. "But Sensei Wu and Garmadon do. Maybe we should trust them."

"Oh please!" Emylia exclaimed. "We've been doing all this junk all day and do you feel stronger?!"

The seven teenagers considered Emylia's reasoning, but dared not to speak.

"Ah, I see you have returned," a voice said, and the ninja turned to see Sensei Wu and Garmadon walking down the hill.

"Did you manage to get the tea plant?"

It was Monika that spoke first. "Yes, Sensei. We managed to retrieve what you wanted." She held out the silky green leaves that took ages to collect.

"With some very painful side effects," Craig muttered, causing Kessra to elbow him in the ribs.

"That is good to hear," Wu said, and he took the leaves from Monika. "Now, it is time to go to the training room."

The seven ninja eyed one another wearily. Was he serious? They had barely made it out alive and now their teacher wanted them to train more!?

"Wonderful..." Emylia grunted.

"I don't want to break another bone," Norwin said softly.

"We're dead," Craig mumbled.

"YAY!" Aqua said, oblivious to her friends' disappointment. "We get to use our powers more!"

"Yay..." the others said flatly.

"Follow me," Wu said. "We have much to discuss."

The ninja begrudgingly began to walk toward the monastery, with Aqua's chattering and constant skipping breaking the awkward silence that hung in the air.

* * *

**The Training Room**

"It is time to get your Gis."

"What?!" Emylia shrieked and Kessra said, one out of rage and one out of surprise.

"AWESOME!" Aqua and Craig exclaimed.

"..." Damien merely shrugged.

"Is mine pink?" Norwin asked.

Monika fidgeted with her fingers.

Wu smiled. "Yes. Tonight you must all report to the docks for Chen's Tournament, and what happens afterward none of us truly know."

The teenagers gulped.

"My faith in your all has increased tremendously. You have grown stronger, faster, and keener. You have accomplished many things and will continue to do so."

Nya took a step forward and waved her hand. "The gi's each are designed with special belts that will help hold your weapons and other supplies." She brought out a dark gray watch that had several black and red buttons on it. "This is a watch I created. It'll let us communicate with you all, but after you go out of range I'm not sure it will continue to emit a signal. However, it's likely to restart and reconnect again, letting us track you guys."

"Where do we get our gis?" Aqua asked.

"We asked a friend of ours to help make them," Nya said. "He should be arriving-"

_SCREECH! CRASH! BANG!_

"MAKE WAY FOR THE BROWN NINJA!"

Nya's eyes widened in shock. "And...that's him."

Wu and Garmadon shared a bemused look.

_SLAM! WHAM! BAM!_

"DARETH!" Misako shouted in an annoyed tone. "Ugh, that man never learns."

"Who's...Dareth?" Kessra inquired.

_BAM! _The training room doors flew open, revealing a middle aged man in sepia clothing and gel-covered hair. Waving around a comb, the man made some incoherent noises before pretending to play a guitar. "I AM THE AMAZING-"

"Dareth," Nya deadpanned.

"THE ASTOUNDING-"

"Dareth," Nya said in a louder voice.

"THE HANDSOMELY DASHING-"

"DARETH!" Nya shouted, causing the man to drop his comb and smile sheepishly.

"Uh...hi, Nya," he said shakily.

"We have guests, you know." Nya pointed to the shaking seven ninja, each one (minus Damien and Emylia) having a look of horror on their faces.

"Eh, I've seen worse," Emylia said.

"I've seen better," Damien said dryly.

"So, Nya, I brought the gis like you asked," Dareth said.

"Thanks, it means a lot," Nya said sweetly.

"Wait, you create clothing?" Emylia said incredusely.

"Of course I do!" Dareth said proudly. "Top of the line t-shirts, pants, dresses, and I even have my own gel-line."

"Well, that makes sense," Craig mumbled sarcastically.

"So, where are they?" Misako asked.

Dareth gestured to the large suitcase to his right. Leaning down, he pressed a bright blue button. The top burst open and a rack of beautifully designed gis popped out.

"Wow..." Monika said. "They've spectacular."

"Why, thank you. Thank you very much," Dareth said. "Now, why don't you try them on?"

* * *

**Thirty Minutes Later**

"We look...FANTASTIC!" Aqua screamed.

"You're going to make me deaf," Emylia muttered, but let herself give a small grin. Aqua was right; they all did look fantastic.

The girls' gis consisted of a short, silk cheongsam (a Chinese dress) that ended right at the waist line. Each gi was slightly different in design.

Kessra's gi was a silver outfit that seemed to shine like metal itself. It was filled with various colors such as emerald, ruby, garnet, amber, and diamond, all representing the many rocks and earthen materials Kessra could bend. Her flats were black and had small silver bows resting near the end, and around her neck hung an opal gem which sparkled whenever Kessra turned certain direction.

Aqua's was a bright aquamarine color with light colored buttons going down the side of the gi. The sleeves reached her wrists and the whole outfit was covered in teal swirls and waves that represented the water in which she controlled. Her pants were a navy blue and her shoes were an icy blue. Over her waist was a baby blue belt that would hold her daggers, and her sandy hair was held up in a long blue ribbon.

Emylia's outfit was covered in bright crimson stripes and lines of scarlet and silver. Wrapping around her like a present, the designs flowed over her body in an almost unruly fashion. Her pants were a stormy gray and Dareth had even given Emylia a bright silver headband with a blood red rose.

Monika's gi was designed with an elaborate ornamental design of intertwined swirls. Dark violet Arabesque circles and swirls coated the silk, with the occasional splash of indigo and black mixed in with the cloth. Monika's sleeves, unlike the previous twos', were considerably shorter in length, going only to her elbows. Her pants were an inky black and her shoes were low heeled and the same color.

"Am I allowed to keep these on?" Monika asked Dareth, pointing to her necklace: a choker made of intertwining black and lavender ribbons and a simple pale violet rose corsage clip in her hair.

"It fits the outfit, so I guess it's all right," Dareth said.

The door opened and the three ninja stepped out.

The boys' outfit was much more different. They wore a traditional Chinese vest with a regular, short-sleeved shirt underneath and, like the girls, their elemental symbols and designs on them.

Norwin's gi consisted of a pale pink vest with magenta buttons and a milky white shirt underneath. The silk was imprinted with swirls of light gray and showed off his airy powers. Being the youngest out of the heroes, his was a bit smaller than the rest. His pants were a dark brown with a rosemary belt wrapping around his waist and his shoes were a tango color.

Damien's outfit matched his shadow-like personality. The clothing was devoid of any patterns or symbols, but gave off a powerful aura despite the lack of details. Dareth had slicked Damien's hair back a little, making it a bit more shiny and neat. His sleeves were cut short, only going halfway down his bicep, and he had black fingerless gloves.

Craig's outfit was mostly tan, and he was equipped with a shoulder belt that held his staff. His vest was striped with the rainbow's colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple, and his pants were a light brown. Over his waist several bottles of paint were located, and his boots were an oily black.

"Wow, we actually look pretty cool," Craig said as he stared at Damien and Norwin.

"Yes, I suppose we do look 'cool'," Damien chuckled.

Suddenly, the guys heard a whistle and turned to see the girls in their uniforms strolling down the hallway.

"Like how this looks?" Aqua said cheerfully, and she spun around in her gi.

Craig's face turned red. "Uh, w-well-"

Damien softly laughed. "I say it looks wonderful, Aqua."

The master of water gave a radiant smile.

"Ugh, this makes me want to puke," Emylia groaned. "C'mon, let's just go before anymore comments are made."

"Suit yourself, Miss Amorru," Craig smirked, and the seven newly dressed teenagers began to walk toward the training room.

* * *

"You have all been forced to train through thick and thick," Garmadon said to his seven pupils. "And now, you will have the chance to show off what you have learned."

"How are we s'pose to do that?" Norwin whispered to the others. "We didn't really do anything."

"Quiet!" Emylia hissed.

"We have few hours to review before you report at the docks," Garmadon said. "Now, let's begin!" He clapped his hands to signal Nya, and the black-haired girl pushed a button on the obstacle course.

Something clicked in Norwin's mind as he watched the spinning dummies. "Hey, it's kinda like the wolves!"

"What the heck does that mean?" Craig asked.

"Watch," Norwin said, and ran toward the course.

"Norwin!" his teammates exclaimed, the worry for their youngest friend evident.

Norwin leaped up into the air and dodged a dummy's sword just in time. Using his power, he blasted another sword out of the way, causing the wood to splinter and crack. Manuvering his body around the spinning dummies, he then exited the section and began to jump onto some large wooden poles sticking out of the ground. "And this is like when Wu made us balance pots on our heads!"

With a dawning realization, the seven ninja could see Norwin's point. All of the 'useless' tasks the senseis had assigned them were actually little bouts of training exercises!

"The little squirt's actually right!" Craig exclaimed. "C'mon, let's do this!"

The other five ninja did not hesitate to take out their weapons and charge at the obstacle course. "NINJA-GO!"

The next few minutes were filled with nonstop chaos (the good kind, though). Using their newfound knowledge and strength, the seven teenagers jumped, ran, sprinted, and fought their way across the retched course. Water, Art, Darkness, Soul, Metal, Air and even Rage emitted from the elemental masters' hearts and defeated their enemies.

But it wasn't until Norwin took one last leap off the training course did something miraculous happen.

"NINJA-GO!" he shouted, confidence flowing through his veins.

A bright burst of pink energy surged from his body, and he quickly transformed into a miniature tornado!

"He's...he's doing Spinjitzu!" Nya exclaimed happily.

"They have learned, brother," Garmadon said.

"Like I knew they would," Wu responded.

Damien's tornado soon followed Norwin's, his being a pure black one that streaked across the room. Soon, lavender, scarlet, tan, silver and aquamarine tornadoes followed.

They had finally unlocked their Spinjitzu!

At last, however, the tornadoes grew unstable, and the seven ninja fell down to the ground, exhausted.

"Whoa, that gives a massive headache!" Kessra groaned.

"I see three of you..." Norwin said dizzily, his body going in circles.

"Mica, stop bugging me," Monika mumbled.

"We..." Craig took a deep breath. "...are so going to kick Chen's butt!"

"Glad to hear your optimism," Nya said. "And your Spinjitzu arrived just on time. Ninjago City is about an hour away and it's almost sundown."

"We better hurry, though," Misako said. "As to not be seen by Chen and his men."

"I doubt Chen himself will be present," Garmadon said.

"Still-" chimed Wu. "We must be careful when we enter the city. Who knows where Chen may be lurking."

"I know we haven't really worked as a team, yet," Craig said to his teammates. "But that has to change. Chen isn't expecting us, and that's an advantage we have. If we can work together and free the ninja, we'll be unstoppable!"

"Craig's right," Kessra joined in. "If we want to not blow our covers and find the missing ninja, we'll have to try and get along. There are other competitors, some strong, some weak, and they're probably oblivious to what's really going on. We have to ally with them to take Chen down."

"So," Craig put his hand out and smiled. "Who's in?"

The other six ninja put their hands in. "NINJA-GO!"

* * *

**The Docks**

The cold wind of the city sent shivers up Craig's back as he and his teammates walked toward the docks. A thick cloud of fog covered the entire city, casting the world into a darkened gray and silver.

As the seven ninja approached the pier, they realized that they weren't the only competitors that had arrived. Standing menacingly on the dock, about a dozen other elemental masters glowered at them with contempt and confusion.

"Gee, glad to know we're already so popular," Craig muttered under his breath.

"Careful, Craig," Kessra warned. "We mustn't push away our enemies, only make them our friends."

"Ugh, you sound like Wu," Emylia mumbled. "C'mon, let's just get to the end of the dock and mind our own business..."

"HI!" Aqua exclaimed to each and every one of the contestants. "I'm Aqua, Master of-"

Emylia put her hand over Aqua's mouth. "Keep your yapper shut or we'll attract unwanted attention."

Aqua remained silent.

"Who do you think these guys are?" Norwin whispered. "They seem kinda weird looking..."

"It doesn't matter who they are," Craig said. "Only that we stay on guard and remember our training."

"I think it's important to know these people," Kessra argued. "They are, after all, the ones we're going against. We could ally with them and fight Chen together."

"Hush, Metal Girl!" Emylia scowled. "Yes, it's smart to make them our...'friends', but we also need to take this allying stuff slowly."

"She's right," Damien said. "We mustn't rush into this plan so cursorily. When the time comes, we will team up. But for now, we wait and try to accomplish the task at hand."

Kessra pursed her lips, but didn't say anything else.

"Hey, guys?" Norwin said, his eyes narrowed at the rolling fog on the ocean. "I think somethin' is coming this way."

The seven ninja peered over the water to see a large bamboo ship coming at the dock. With a huge waterwheel, an ancient flag raised up, and two spacial decks, Craig could guess that this was no ordinary boat.

"Get ready, all of you," he said quietly. "We need to be prepared for anything."

As the ship came closer, the seven ninja decided to back away and let the other competitors get on first. Some preferred to keep their faces hidden, while others gave Craig a sneer when they passed.

One in particular, though, caught the art-ninja's full attention.

She had crimson hair swept in neat bangs, her eyes a dark ebony with orange lipstick to match her outfit. Head spinning around, her mesmerizing face nearly caused Craig to fall over.

"Whoa..." he said.

"Hello?" Emylia waved her hand in front of Craig's face. "Earth to Picasso?"

Craig continued to stare, his heart beating twice as fast.

"We have to get on the boat!" Monika informed, watching as the line dwindled down to only them.

"Remember when you said not to get distracted?" Kessra said to Craig dryly.

"All right, all right; I'm coming," Craig said, and followed his teammates to the boat.

"Well, what do we have here?" A man with slick black hair and a bushy mustache mused as the seven ninja came to his side. "A group of friends, perhaps?"

"Yeah, we've known each other for a long time," Craig lied smoothly. "Bonded over our powers and stuff like that. After receiving your letter, we decided to enter together."

"How...interesting," the man said. "I am Clouse, Chen's second in command." Clouse motioned to the ship.

"Nice to meet you, Clouse." Craig and his friends walked onto the boat.

"Where'd you learn to lie like that?" Kessra asked.

"Eh, I had a lot of free time over the weekend," Craig said casually.

"Let's call Sensei G," Aqua said.

"Damien, can you contact Garmadon?" Craig pointed to the ninja of darkness.

"Of course." Damien reached for the device. After some careful consideration, Nya chose Damien to wear the communicator, as his black outfit hid the machine very well. "Here we go." He pushed down on a scarlet button and the watch began to make several beeping noises.

"Hello?" A static-filled voice said from the device. It was Nya. "Are you guys on the boat, yet?"

"Yep," Craig said softly.

"Good, I'll hand this over to Garmadon," Nya said.

After several moments, a new voice emitted from the watch. "This is Garmadon speaking."

"We're on Chen's boat and heading to his island," Damien informed.

"Good," Garmadon said. "Now listen closely-"

"Whoa!" Aqua squealed. "Guys, look at them!"

The seven ninjas' attention was stolen as elemental masters began to appear on the deck. In the corner, a man with a burgundy turban and black smoke bellowing around him lifted up some boxes without touching them. Under the stairs, a gruff looking warrior with metal for hands punched a barrel up and down into the air.

"Amazing..." Monika pointed to an elemental master with a large staff. Suddenly, vivid green spurts of nature sprouted from the end.

"Look," Norwin said. "It's that man again."

"Who?" Garmadon asked.

"His name's Clouse," Craig smirked.

"Oh dear," Garmadon said, tone serious.

"What's the matter?" Craig inquired. "He doesn't seem like a major threat."

"Don't be fooled by his attire or his unpleasing attitude," Garmadon warned. "He is a master of the dark arts and Master Chen's number two."

"Seems like a real snot to me," Emylia mumbled.

"That too," Garmadon said. "Now, I need you to all listen very closely. With the volume down enough, I should be able to talk without fear of being heard. As you all know, you are all descendents of elemental masters. In the beginning, there was the very first Spinjitzu Master. The elemental masters were his special guardians, and their powers were passed down from generation to generation."

"So that would mean that our family members should have these powers," Aqua said. "But my brother can't do what I can do."

"Can't he? Power lies in all of you. It only needs to be awoken. Unlike your seven, the fighters here serve no one and look out for no one except for themselves. They have managed to unlock their powers and true potentials on their own."

"What kind of elements are there?" Kessra inquired.

"Damien, try to lift the watch up so I can see the area," Garmadon instructed.

Damien slyly pretended to scratch his neck, allowing Garmadon to survey the entire deck.

"Ah-hah. See that pale man over there?"

The seven ninja looked toward a man dressed in fancy clothing, and he turned away.

"He is a distant descendant of the master of light."

Suddenly, the man's whole body disappeared, causing Norwin to gasp in shock.

"How did he-"

"Watch out!" A voice shouted, and Norwin was pushed into Kessra as a blur of red and white flew past him.

"What the heck!?" Emylia yelled.

"Then there's Griffon Turner," Garmadon chuckled. "Grandson to the master of speed."

"Uh, speed?_ Pfft_. That's not an element!" Emylia protested.

"Says the master of _rage,_" Craig said sarcastically.

"We should head to the top deck to see the other masters," Monika suggested.

The seven ninja trekked up the rickety staircase before reaching a the second floor of the boat. Craig spotted the same orange-dressed girl as before.

"And, uh, who's she?" Craig asked Garmadon, grabbing Damien's wrist to show Garmadon the elusive girl.

"I do not know," Garmadon said. "Most of these people I have not met before. But they will all be gunning for you, especially since they know you seven are a team. You are ninja, you serve with honor. But here, that means very little..."

Craig narrowed his eyes as the man with metal hands walked up to the girl. Growling, the metal man shook her shoulders before grabbing at her arm. The girl grunted in frustration as he continued with his rude actions.

"Poor girl..." Kessra said. "I wonder if she knows him."

"She shouldn't be treated like that," Monika said courageously, and to everyone's surprise, she marched over to the metal man, her eyes blazing with fury.

"I'm with her," Craig ran after Monika. "I think it's time to knock some honor into this guy's head."

The girl with the orange gi stopped struggling as Monika came to her rescue. "It's okay. I can handle myself."

"This none of her business. Karlof cold. Karlof wants her cloak." the metal man swung his arms threateningly, but Monika remained unfazed.

"You look like you've got big enough mittens," Craig countered. "Now, why don't you leave the gal alone?"

"These not mittens!" the man named Karlof sneered. "These crush petty ninja!"

"I'd like to see you try," Craig jeered.

"Yeah, what he said," Monika said.

"We really need to work on your catchphrases," Craig sighed.

"Craig! Monika!" Emylia hissed from the sidelines. "This is not the time to fight! You'll have plenty of time for that later!"

"All we're asking is to leave her alone," Monika said calmly.

"Don't think Karlof afraid of you?" Karlof jested.

"No, you don't think much at all, do you?"

"That it!" Karlof lunged at Craig and grabbed him by the front of his shirt. He then lifted the ninja of art into the air.

"A-little-help-here-guys?" Craig panted, his hands reaching for his staff.

The other six ninja hesitated, not wanting to enter a fight they didn't start.

"Calm down," Monika raised her palms and spoke in a gentle voice. "We don't want a fight."

"You think Karlof not smart!?" Karlof shouted.

"No!" Monika exclaimed.

"Yes!" Craig scowled.

Without warning, Karlof threw Craig up into the air and punched him squarely in the gut, causing the ninja to fly across the deck and out of sight.

"Craig!" Monika yelled, and ran over to her fallen comrade.

"That's it!" Emylia took out her hammer, her eyes turning a familiar red.

"This is Monika's and Craig's battle," Garmadon said before Emylia could enter the fray. "They started it; now let them finish it."

Monika knelt down at Craig's side and shook his shoulders. "Please be okay..."

Craig let out a shaky laugh. "I'm fine, Monika. Just bruised, that's all."

"You think Karlof is smart now!?" Karlof howled.

Monika helped Craig to his feet. "You ready to fight?"

"Oh please," Craig whipped out his staff and smiled. "I'm always ready."

The two formed their stances, weapons in their correct positions.

"ART!" Craig roared, his staff instantly soaking up the colors from the boat. Quickly creating a few arrows, the painted objects soon became real, and he launched them at Karlof's direction. The metal man blocked them all, his large hands easily knocking them away.

"You think that can take down Karlof?" he said. Crashing his hands together, his whole body became a figure of hard metal. Grinning wickedly, Karlof began to run toward Craig and Monika.

"Whoa, I did NOT see that coming," Craig muttered.

"SOUL!" Monika exclaimed, and her scythe glowed a faint indigo.

Suddenly, Karlof tripped and fell onto the wooden floor below, his helmet spinning around his head until he forced it to stop. Frowning, he swung his fists around before making contact with an invisible being.

"NO!" Monika shouted, obviously worried about something no one else could see.

"Focus, Monika!" Craig ordered, and created a wall of stone to stall Karlof. "We have to get somewhere high!"

_CRACK! CRACK! _

"Oh no!" Monika gasped as Karlof quickly broke the stone wall in half. She swiftly ducked an incoming swing of his fist and somersaulted backwards, her scythe blocking her body so as to make sure that the metal man didn't follow.

Craig watched as Monika jumped to safety, and conjured a shield so that Karlof's frontward attack was stopped. Unfortunately, Karlof's right hand managed to strike Craig's chest, sending him into the wall. Vision blacking out for a second, he slid down onto the floor and coughed.

Monika gasped in horror as Craig was slammed into the wall. Using her weapon, she swiped it under Karlof's feet, causing him to fall down. Scowling, he reached for Monika's scythe and grabbed the blunt end before dragging her forward and giving a swift kick to the gut. The force sent Monika flying into the sky, and she landed on the part of the boat that housed the waterwheel. Stars exploded in her vision as she struggled to regain consciousness.

"Ugh..." she moaned, her head spinning.

"Monika!" her friends yelled, horror on their faces as Karlof ran to the spirit girl, fist outstretched.

"Huh?" Monika blinked twice before realizing how much danger she was in. Eyes widening, she quickly pushed herself back just as Karlof's metal fist came flying at her face. "GAH!"

"Karlof not done with puny master," Karlof growled, and stomped his feet on the ground. Monika fumbled for her scythe and finally managed to grab her weapon before swinging it at the master of metal.

"Incoming!" A voice called, and Craig appeared out of the blue, his staff surrounded by specks of paint. Throwing the paint balls at Karlof, the art ninja splattered Karlof's clean silver body, causing the burly man to give a voracious howl. He charged at Monika, only for the latter to cartwheel away and back onto the ship's deck. Craig summoned a harpoon out of blue paint before launching it at Karlof, but Karlof managed to shatter the painting with one hit of his hand.

"Oh, c'mon!" Craig whined. "You have got to be kidding me!"

"Less whining, more fighting!" Monika chastised gently, and she lunged at Karlof again. Truth be told, she hadn't meant to really engage in physical violence with the metal man, as she wasn't one for spilling blood. Her only goal was to scare Karlof or just warn him that he shouldn't mess with a ninja.

"Watch out!" Monika gasped, for Craig had ran into her side. Her scythe fell onto the ground and Craig's paint disappeared from his lack of attention.

"What do you mean 'watch out?'" Craig said. "You just had to move!"

"I was just giving advice!" Monika protested.

"Well-"

Karlof suddenly grabbed Craig's leg and threw him into Monika. "Hah-hah. Puny humans..."

Karlof's fist slammed downward.

"Karlof!" A voice shouted, and the metal man stopped an inch above Craig's face, the latter too knocked out to realize the position he was in. Clouse ran onto the scene. "Do not engage in a fight. You'll have plenty of time for that on the island."

Karlof muttered a few incoherent words before stepping back and walking away. The seven ninja and Garmadon released a relieved sigh.

"That was way too close," Craig mumbled.

"I apologize for my harsh words back there," Monika said as she stood up.

"It's my fault," Craig admitted. "Don't sweat it."

"Excuse me."

Monika swerved around to see the girl in orange smiling back.

"Oh, uh..." Monika laughed nervously before realizing that the girl wanted to talk to Craig. She quickly walked away.

The orange girl held out her hand to the art ninja. "Thanks for standing up for me. I'm sorry if I came off as...cold."

Craig took the girl's hand, too caught up in the moment to see both their arms light up in a soft tan.

The girl let go and subconsciously adjusted her hood before leaving the scene. Craig watched her until she went around the corner and disappeared from sight.

"Craig!" Norwin shouted, excitement laced in his voice. "You can see the island!"

Craig walked to the other ninja in a daze. Norwin shook his arm and pointed to the clearing mist.

"Lookit!" he said.

Chen's island suddenly appeared behind the large veil of fog. A large, bronze and scarlet bastion with sky-high columns and a sturdy golden gate that ensured intruders would not enter.

"Wow..." Kessra gasped. "This place looks huge. How in Ninjago's name are we going to find _them?_"

"We can't focus on the vastness or the danger," Craig reminded. "It doesn't matter how big this place is, only that the the ninja are here and imprisoned. We will find them, I know it. It'll just take...some more time."

"We don't have time, though," Emylia scowled.

"It depends, really," Craig said. "Time is just a form of measure that mankind invented. We can't reverse time, but we can find a way to gain it."

"How?" Aqua asked.

"Easy. We fight. We win. We climb the ranks and give a stern warning to Chen that we're not to be messed with. He may have power, but so do we." Craig turned to his teammates. "And besides-"

"WE ARE ABOUT TO REACH CHEN'S ISLAND. PLEASE PREPARE TO DOCK!" Clouse said through the intercom.

"-we're ninja. And ninja _never _quit."

* * *

A/N: Horrible ending, I know. Life's been hectic, but the good news is that I have half of the next chapter complete! Like, fave, review! And see you in two weeks!


	7. Chapter 6: Rules, Running, and Revenge

A/N: What's up , guys? TCJ back with another 'Episode'. I hope you all are having a wonderful day (and if you're not, then maybe this'll cheer you up). This chapter will take everything back to canon, with the tournament starting and the seven ninja putting their skills to the test against the other elemental masters. I'm terribly sorry for the extremely late update, but I've been super sick for the past two weeks and it's really messed up my life.

Anyway, here's Episode 6: Rules, Running, and Revenge!

**Episode 6: Rules, Running, and Revenge**

Norwin wasn't expecting for Chen's home to be so...amazing. He knew that the evil mastermind wasn't exactly penniless, but still, the ninja of air could never guess of what lied ahead. Their distance from the palace's golden gates shrinking, Norwin gasped as he took in the sight. The whole area was surrounded by a large, blood-red wall that had columns of bronze and ivory shooting up into the sky and two spiraled dragons engraved on the walls. The flora was plentiful and rich, bearing many strange fruits that were of all color, and Norwin could spy a vast forest of tall trees behind the fortress. Before the palace were slabs of gray rock that protruded out and overlapped one another. On each level of rock was a line of red-cloaked servants that yelled out incoherent chants.

"Awesome..." Craig whispered from beside Norwin.

"Let me see," Karlof snarled, and pushed Craig forward.

"Watch it, metal-head!" Craig seethed, and took a fighting stance.

"Save it." Emylia pulled Craig back and stared daggers at the art master.

"You all must focus!" Garmadon hissed from the watch.

Norwin frowned. He wasn't that old, but it didn't take two and two to guess that Craig and Emylia were causing conflict. Norwin just hoped that it wouldn't end up tearing the team apart.

The boat gently turned to the side and docked. Norwin gulped as Clouse's men lowered the wooden board. Sticking close to Kessra, he and the others trekked off of the steamboat and onto the island's sandy floor. Chen's home was a truly spectacular place, but the ninja of air knew better than to trust the seemingly harmless décor.

"Welcome to Chen's island!" Clouse exclaimed as he walked off. "The Tournament of Elements welcomes its new brave fighters!"

The seven ninja quickly exited the watercraft in hopes of avoiding the other competitors. As they approached Chen's palace, Norwin noticed Craig straying behind a little. He saw that the master of art was speaking to the mysterious orange-dressed girl. No one else seemed to see Craig's actions, but Norwin decided to keep his mouth shut and focus on the matter at hand.

And besides, it was probably nothing. Right?

"Hey, Sensei G?" Kessra said. "How come I've never seen this island on a map before?"

"And how come the biggest entrepreneur of noodle history is assembling a secret fighting tournament?" Damien inquired.

"Master Chen used to be an ally. But now, he's a traitor. During the Serpentine War, Chen betrayed his kind and teamed with the snakes."

"The Serpentine War?" Aqua said.

"It's a war that took place years ago," Damien informed. "It was between the five snake tribes and mankind, but I never really knew any more behind that."

"We managed to defeat Chen after years of bloody battle," Garmadon said. "And as a deal for his surrender, he was exiled to his island and told never to return."

"Wow," Norwin said, trying to process the grand scale of the war.

"Whoa, look at those!" Aqua shouted, and pointed to a towering tree that spurt fat pieces of fruit.

An idea popped in Norwin's head, and he flew up to the leaves and snapped one off its branch: a small, azure fruit that was coated in speckled emerald spots and as round as a circle.

"What d'you think this tastes like?" he asked Damien after reaching the ground.

"I'm not sure," Damein admitted. "But it doesn't look that...edible."

As if the universe wanted to taunt Norwin, his stomach began to grumble loudly, causing everyone to halt.

"I'm starving," Norwin mumbled, trying not to whine.

"We'll be able to eat soon," Kessra assured. "I promise."

"What the heck is Picasso doing?" Emylia scowled, gesturing to Craig's antics.

"Probably just talking," Monika said.

"He needs to focus on the mission, though," Kessra said. "Not girls."

"Kessra's right," Damien said. "The worst thing we can do is get too distracted."

"I trust him," Monika said firmly. "If he thinks that he can chat with people, let him do it."

"It's not that we don't trust him," Damien said logically. "We just don't think his actions are the most helpful."

"Also," Kessra said as the orange-gi girl sprinted away. "He needs to improve his skills."

The other ninja nodded in agreement as Craig came toward them with a dejected look on his face.

"Don't worry, Romeo," Kessra put her arm around his shoulder. "After this, you'll be a hero in every girl's mind."

When the seven ninja joined the crowd of competitors, Clouse flicked his wrist, causing the azure gates to fly backward and open up the entrance to Chen's palace.

"Remember," Garmadon reminded from the watch. "This is a huge island. The ninja could be anywhere."

As the entered the palace grounds on a Byzantium carpet, the ninja were greeted by two rows of drummers. The sound of their instruments echoed throughout the air, making it hard to hear.

_Duh-dum! Duh-dum! Duh-dum! Duh-dum!_

"This is SO cool!" Aqua squealed.

"I don't see how walking inside a mad man's home is 'cool'," Emylia said bluntly.

"This is where all of Chen's noodles are made!" Aqua said excitedly. "And his dumplings and cakes and rice and-"

_Gurgle, gurgle. _Norwin put his hands to his stomach. "Please stop talking about food..."

"Oops, sorry!" Aqua giggled.

"You must all be careful," Garmadon said. "Here, Chen is totally self-sufficient and in control. He'll be able to watch and monitor your behavior and actions. The only way on and off this island is through Chen. But first, you have to gain his approval."

"How do you know all of this?" Craig asked.

"Because before Chen was my enemy, he was my sensei. You all don't know this...not even my own ninja know this. But I bear a snake tattoo that will always remind me of my servitude to him. When I was about your age, I sought darker means of guidance. He taught me to win at all costs, no matter who I hurt. And it wasn't until my son saved me that I saw the light. I...I hope I get to see him again."

"We'll get your son back," Monika said gently. "If it's the last thing we do...we will find them. I promise."

* * *

**Chen's Courtroom**

Upon entry, the seven ninja and the other elemental masters were seated on a golden, oval shaped rug that took up the entire room. The whole area was made up of lapis blue and ruby red colors that made the place vivid and bright.

"What d'you think the first contest will be?" Norwin whispered to Monika.

"Hopefully, something we won't have to use our elemental powers with," the spirit girl said anxiously. "I don't think I'm ready for that, yet."

"You'll do fine," Norwin said kindly. "You're one of the strongest girls I know."

Monika was slightly taken aback by his compliment, by smiled nevertheless. "Thank you, Norwin. That means a lot to me."

_BOOM! _The sound of a gong resonated through the room, causing everyone to turn to Clouse.

"All rise for Master Chen!" he commanded.

Above, Monika could make out a descending throne. Along with the others, she stood up in respect.

He was a man of average height with bushy black eyebrows and a rather disturbing skull hat on. His clothes were similar to Clouse's, and a string of bones hung around his neck.

"WELCOME!" Chen started happily, his hands waving in the air. "TO THE TOURNAMENT OF ELEMENTS!" NOW, EVERYONE CAN DI-!"

The doors to the room shut close, and Monika gulped.

"-RECT THEIR ATTENTION TO ME!" Chen finished, his play on words building up the tension. The strange man then let out a series of cackles and laughs.

"I also forgot to add that he has a knack for theatrics," Garmadon deadpanned.

Chen began to walk down the stairs. "Never before has their been so many elemental masters been together under one roof! I see Master of Art!" He pointed to Craig, the latter giving a cocky grin. "Speed-" he gestured to Griffin Turner. "And Shadow. Or, _shadows, _I suppose."

"Huh?" Damien glanced at a nearby man with ashy skin and raven-black hair. "Who's that?"

"You're both masters of shadow," Garmadon informed.

"I've never seen him before in my life, though."

"Perhaps he's a distant relative of yours?" Monika suggested.

"Yeah, maybe you two could experience some family bonding time," Craig teased.

"Shhh!" Emylia hushed.

"This symbol on the gong is one of the Anacondrai!" Chen announced. "The fiercest Serpentine Warriors to ever roam this land! Its dream? Only _one _can remain!"

Monika felt chills go up her spine at his ominous message.

_BOOM! _A cultist hit the gong once more, causing it to split and break away in half. Behind the piece of metal was a board with all the names and pictures of the competitors.

"This is not good," Craig muttered darkly. "Some of us aren't in our own brackets. That means we may end up fighting one another sooner than we thought."

"We'll find the ninja before that happens," Kessra said confidently.

"BEHOLD!" Chen pointed to Clouse, the latter holding up a gleaming green object. "A jade blade! Here, it represents life! If you obtain it, you move on. Allow your opponent to take it...LOSER! The rules are simple: every match will be different. No two fights the same! Your powers and weapons will keep you in the tournament! Use it or lose it!"

Monika felt her hands grow sweaty, and she struggled to keep her breathing some acting sporadically.

"And what does Karlof win?" Karlof asked.

"Win, and you get to stay on the island! Win it all and you'll receive fortunes beyond your wildest dreams! And...LIFETIME SUPPLY OF NOODLES!"

Silence.

"Anyway," Chen continued. "You are all not here for the noodles. You are here for the glory and fame that comes with being the winner!"

"And what happens to those who do lose?" Emylia said defiantly.

"Lose? Who here likes to loooose?" Chen cackled. He turned to the elemental masters. "Now, who here wants to explore my island?"

"You'll each be shown to your rooms." Clouse clapped his hands. Dozens of white-faced women entered the room, their hair tied up and their gowns trailing behind them on the floor.

"Who are these people?" Norwin asked.

"Kabuki," Craig said. "I read about them once. I suspect that their Chen's workers."

"Hey, don't touch me!" Emylia scowled as a kabuki grabbed her wrist. "Great, we have clowns leading us."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Monika said sweetly, and let a kabuki lead her away.

The seven ninja were dragged all around the palace. Up stairs. Down hallways. Through doors.

"Uh, guys, we're getting separated!" Kessra yelled.

"Just try to stay in sight, and don't lose focus!" Craig exclaimed.

"Don't lose mucus!?" Norwin said loudly.

"No, I said don't lose focus!"

"Mocha?"

"Ugh...never mind."

* * *

"Your Soul Suite, Mistress Monika," Monika's kabuki said in a robotic voice. The doors to her room swung open, revealing a glamorous estate that was probably bigger than her own house!

"Wow!" Monika exclaimed in awe, and she ran forward, eager to see all that there was. Her bed was a deep violet color with white-laced pillows and covers as soft as clouds. A nearby portrait of her was hanging from the wall, and the whole area housed multiple decorations.

As she exited the room and onto the balcony, Monika noticed that she wasn't the only one outside. The room next to her housed the mysterious girl Craig was talking to. Her hair was a fiery crimson that was pulled back in a short ponytail, and her eyes were a deep amber color.

"Hello," Monika said politely, waving to the girl. "It appears to be that we are neighbors. I'm Monika, Master of...Soul."

"I'm Skylor, Master of-"

"Why, hello there!" A chipper voice said from behind Skylor, and Monika leaned her head to see Craig standing on the other balcony to Skylor's left. "And how are you two fine ladies doing today?"

"Um..." Monika said.

"I'm Craig, the Master of Art." Craig whipped out his staff and began to show off his power. "Impressive, huh?"

Monika gasped when she saw that Craig's art was beginning to build up.

"So, what's your talent?" Craig asked Skylor.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Skylor teased.

"Uh, Craig-" Monika said.

"Not now, Monika," Craig said rudely. "Where ya from, Skylor?"

"Not from here," she replied coolly.

"Craig-" Monika was cut off again.

"Have any family?"

"A dad. My mother died when I was young."

"Craig-"

"What is it!?" Craig scowled.

_SPLAT! _Just like in the training room, Craig's art exploded, blasting bits and pieces of paint onto his face.

Skylor bit her lip to suppress her laughter, and Monika closed her eyes in exasperation.

"Uh..." Craig quickly erased the paint, and his cheeks turned a tomato red as he struggled to regain his composure. "Uh..."

"Why won't you listen, Craig?" Monika wondered aloud. "Why won't you?"

* * *

The other six ninja were also led to their own special dorms.

"AWESOME!" Aqua looked around at her spacious water room. The floors and walls seemed to move in undulating motions, resembling the calm sea like the one by her hometown. A large HD T.V was positioned in front of her aquamarine bed, and her refrigerator was stocked with sea-related food like clams and shrimp.

"I hope the others are doing as well as I am," Aqua mused happily as she munched on some tilapia.

* * *

Meanwhile, Emylia was still being forcefully shoved against her will.

"I can walk on my own!" she snapped at the kabuki dragging her. The woman quickly scurried away in fear.

Emylia straightened out her gi before shoving the her room doors open. Her jaw dropped as she saw the spectacular dorm.

Everything was a bright cherry red streaked with silver. A training area was located in the corner and her heart fluttered when she saw a picture of her hometown on the wall.

Gulping, Emylia traced her finger on the photo, guilt flooding her mind as she tried to block out that fateful night...

"Snap out of it," she suddenly shouted at herself. Wincing, Emylia then shook her head and decided to try and relax until the first challenge was given.

* * *

"WHEEEEEE!"

Norwin flew across his room in absolute delight, his voice echoing throughout the entire dorm. His room was designed to fit his need of open air, and the whole place was full of different sky-related decorations. The walls and floor were covered in clouds, and even his bed felt like floating in the air.

Passing by his state-of-the-art HD T.V, Norwin flew down and grabbed the remote before turning on his favorite show.

"I wonder what the others are doing..." he wondered aloud before his attention was drawn back to the screen.

* * *

Damien sighed as he entered his room. The doors were a menacing indigo that seemed to radiate darkness. Politely dismissing his kabuki, Damien set down his weapon and studied his surroundings.

The whole place seemed like the epitome of shadow. The walls were a raven-black color with rows of violet-glowing torchers softly illuminating the area. A large picture of Chen stood on the wall, causing shivers to run down his spine.

Trying to ignore the feeling of being watched, Damien pushed open his balcony doors and let the light of day ease his worries.

* * *

_Not bad, _Kessra thought as she strolled into her room. The ex-nurse wasn't too taken aback by the extreme fanciness of the room. Her father being a successful politician, Kessra was used receiving luxurious items.

They usually ended up in the garbage, however.

Strolling around the room, Kessra casually inspected her grand dorm. The floor was a dark gray with spots of ruby, emerald, and diamond every few feet. Her walls were an ebony color and had several paintings of nature's beauty.

Entering the balcony, Kessra was surprised to see that Damien was right next to her.

"Hello." She waved to him.

Damien looked at Kessra and gave a wide smile. "Hello, Kessra."

Kessra flicked some hair out of her eyes. "So, when do you think we'll get our first assignment?"

He shrugged. "I wouldn't be surprised if it happened tomorrow-"

"GREETINGS, ELEMENTAL MASTERS!" Chen's high-pitched voice caused Damien to flinch.

"Or today. Maybe today," he muttered.

"IT IS WITH GREAT PLEASURE TO ANNOUNCE THE FIRST TASK!" Chen boomed.

"Where the heck is that coming from?" Kessra hissed, her hands covering her ears in hopes of blocking out Chen's irking vernacular.

"THERE ARE 18 JADE BLADES SCATTERED ALL THROUGHOUT THE PALACE AND PALACE GROUNDS!" Chen explained. "COLLECT ONE, AND YOU'LL MAKE IT TO THE NEXT ROUND!"

"The next round?!" Kessra and Damien exclaimed at the same time.

"This is not good," Kessra said.

"There's nineteen competitors," Damien closed his eyes to concentrate. "That means one of us will be eliminated!"

"We need to get a blade," Kessra said. "All of us."

"THE CHALLENGE BEGINS...NOW!"

"WHAT?!"

* * *

Craig, Skylor, and Monika gasped at Chen's abrupt command.

As if on cue, a gleam of light flashed in her vision, and Monika and the others looked up to see a glowing green object hanging precariously on the edge of the roof.

"Is that..." Craig said.

"A jade blade!" Skylor suddenly jumped up and pushed Craig back before hauling herself up and closer to the blade.

"Oh no you don't!" Craig seethed, and used his staff to wrap a rope of color around Skylor's leg. He swung his hand down, bringing the redhead down onto her own balcony.

He glanced at Monika. "You want it?"

As much as she wanted to scream 'YES' and get the first challenge over with, Monika knew that she could obtain another one if you hurried.

"No." She shook her head. "You deserve it more."

Craig pursed his lips and struggled to keep Skylor incapacitated. "All right, but you better hurry if you want to get one!"

Monika gave a curt nod before running off.

Craig wasted no time in thowing (gently, of course) Skylor back into her room. He swiftly jumped up and grabbed the jade blade in victory.

Below, Skylor scowled and left the area in hope of finding another one.

* * *

Norwin turned off the T.V as soon as Chen's announcement came on. Listening to his rules, the fourteen year old gulped as another elemental master stormed into his room.

It was Tox, the master of Toxin. Norwin quickly flew behind his bed and scanned the room for any hidden jade blades.

There! In the overhead light! Smiling at his good luck, his hopes were dashed as Tox saw the jade blade, too, and began to reach for it.

_It's now or never, Norwin, _Norwin realized. And without thinking, he flew across the room and smacked right into the toxic girl's side.

"Sorry!" he exclaimed.

Tox gave a snake-like hiss before throwing a cloud of acid dust at his face. Out of instinct, Norwin threw him body to the right and levitated in the air.

"Whoa," he said softly. "Better get out of here quick." Grabbing the jade blade, the master of air zoomed past Tox and out to safety.

Entering the main floor of the building, he gasped at the chaos unfolding beneath him.

* * *

Kessra raced out of her room, throwing knives ready, to find herself caught in the midst of an elemental master stampede.

_I'm going to have to find one soon, _she thought, _Or else they'll all be taken. _

Positioning herself next to a tall pillar, Kessra scanned the floor for any jade blades. Currently, all the elemental masters were running like crazed chickens trying to secure the prized object.

There! In the potted plant! Kessra jumped off the railing of the floor balcony and ran toward the blade.

"Watch out!"

Kessra gasped as a body collided into hers, pushing her down onto the ground. A split second later, a blue of white raced past where she was just standing. If she had taken another step forward, the annoying Griffon Turner would've run her over.

Kessra looked to see her rescuer.

"You okay?" Damien asked, and pulled her up.

"Yeah," Kessra said. "Thanks for the help."

"Don't mention it," Damien said. "C'mon, the jade blades aren't going to find themselves."

Kessra watched as Damien disappeared, his shadow streaking across the dark claret carpet and toward a blade.

Kessra glanced at the potted plant and saw that the jade blade was still there. Running, she realized that Ash was also trying to get there first.

Scowling, Kessra summoned one of her knives and threw it at Ash. The knife pinned Ash's shirt to the wall, but he just gave a cocky grin and turned into smoky dust.

"Seriously?!" Kessra exclaimed.

Suddenly, Kessra was knocked forward, and she turned to see Ash standing there with his gray katana out and ready. Kessra quickly straightened herself out and held up her knives in a defensive position.

Ash struck first, his katana blade swiping at empty air as Kessra flew to the left. Her knives collided with the katana, and the sharp sound of metal grinding emitted in the air.

Using her remaining two knives, Kessra commanded them to wrap around the jade blade. Pushing Ash back, she took the chance to backflip back and grab the emerald trophy.

"Got ya," she said gleefully, her work done.

Meanwhile, Damien slinked past the other competitors as he searched for a jade blade. Choosing to perch up on the floor's balcony, Damien spied one sitting up on the chandelier. The overhead of the floating light was covered in shadows. It was perfect for someone like him.

However, another elemental master thought the same thing, as Damien could see Shade, the master of Shadows, make his way toward the jade blade.

Disappearing into the shadows, Damien scampered up the side of the walls and jumped on the chandelier, his feet dangling in empty air and his arms wrapped around a protruding piece of metal. Sweat coating his face from the heated candles, Damien frowned as Shade appeared on the other side of the chandelier.

"You won't win this fight," Shade warned menacingly.

"You never know until you try," Damien retorted, and pushed himself up. Notching an arrow, Damien shot the projectile at Shade. The master of Shadows merely stepped to the side and took out his own weapon; two ringed blades (chakrams, Damien recognized) that glowed raven-black. Shade threw one chakram at Damien's head, and Damien mentally cursed before using his bow to block the attack. The chandelier wobbled, causing the jade blade to move ever so slightly off of the hanging light.

Damien notched another arrow and fired. It imbedded itself deep into Shade's thigh, causing the master of Shadows to give a cry of agony. Damien swallowed his guilt as he notched another arrow and fired again. Barely dodging a chakram, Damien struggled to keep balance.

Suddenly, Shade grabbed the chandelier's chain and shook it. Hard. Damien reached out to grab something to hold onto, but all he felt was air. His body falling backward, Damien put down his hand and grabbed the edge of the chandelier before completely falling off. His bow in one hand and his other hand the only thing keeping him from becoming a shadow pancake, Damien panicked slightly.

"I told you," Shade panted between breaths of pain. He made his way over to the jade blade and grinned. "You're just a kid. You can't win."

"You're wrong," Damien said firmly, and in one last desperate attempt, he swung his bow around one of the chandelier's metal bars and grabbed the other side. Usng every ounce of his strength, Damien hauled himself up and onto the chandelier again. Shade barely had time to register Damien's recovery before an arrow hit his other thigh.

"ARGH!" Shade moaned, and this gave Damien the time to grab the jade blade. Jumping off the chandelier, Damien located a dark spot on the wall and turned into a shadow.

_Too close, _he thought shakily. _I hope the others are doing okay._

* * *

As Damien, Monika, Norwin, and Craig received their own jade blades, Emylia and Aqua encountered some deterrents.

"This is insane!" Emylia shouted to Aqua, the two being cornered in the hallway by some competitors.

"I know!" Aqua said, her cheery self gone and replaced by determination. "I think I saw some jade blades in the kitchen! Maybe we can go there!"

"Let's hope so!" Emylia said, and pounded the wall with her hammer. The attack caused the room to shake and giving them time to make a getaway.

"This way!" Aqua instructed, and the two ran through some rooms before reaching the kitchen. However, two elemental masters. Gravis and Bolobo, were already there and heading toward the jade blades.

"Oh no they don't!" Emylia hissed.

Suddenly, Gravis turned around and muttered something to Bolobo.

"Uh...Emylia?" Aqua said nervously. Beside her, pots, pans, and large, pointy utensils rose in the air.

"Gravity," Emylia said grimly. "His power just has to be gravity."

Gravis smirked before using his gravity-related powers to move the objects and make them fall onto Emylia and Aqua. The two girls shrieked before scurrying away to safety. Aqua swung her daggers and water came gushing out of the sinks.

"I'll get plant-guy! You get the gravity dude!" Emylia command

"On it!" Aqua said. Waving her daggers, Aqua caused water to gush out of the kitchen sinks. She formed a long whip and lashed out at Gravis.

Suddenly, the water began to act erratic, moving up and down against her will.

"Gravity will always outmatch water," Gravis sneered.

Aqua felt her cheeks grow hot. "We'll see about that, genie-man."

Feeling her feet begin to lift into the air, Aqua struggled to keep herself connected to the floor as Gravis tried to control the gravity around her. Aqua ran toward Gravis and used her water to create an icy wall between her and him. She took the chance to create a blue mist that spread across the entire room.

Emylia coughed as Aqua made the foggy distraction. She held her war hammer in a defensive position.

A vine shot out of nowhere and wrapped around her weapon.

"Not on my watch!" Emylia said. She brought the hammer down, breaking the vine's grasp. Branches began to encase Emylia and she saw that Bolobo was trying to trap her inside a large wooden dome. Using her hammer, Emylia swung the giant weapon, smashing the branches to bits and freeing herself.

Meanwhile, Aqua could sense the fog being lifted by Gravis's gravity powers. She took a deep breath and turned the water droplets in the air into ice, effectively

trapping Gravis in a prison of solid water. The water droplets attached to his skin and immobilized him.

"No!" Gravis yelled.

Emylia was glad that Aqua managed to deal with the gravity man, but Bolobo wouldn't stop trying to attack her with plants. Pushing her rage down, Emylia called to Aqua. "Aqua!"

The waterbender looked at Emylia. Seeing her predicament, Aqua formed a water whip and slashed Bolobo across the chest. The plant-man stumbled backward, giving Emylia the chance to swing her hammer and smash him into the where all, creating a nice hole in the cracked rock.

"Quick! Get the blades!" Emylia snapped at Aqua, and the latter scurried over to grab the two green objects.

"Success!" Aqua said happily, waving her blade around.

Emylia let herself smile. And for the first time, she actually felt at ease.

Aqua glanced at a nearby clock and gasped. "Oh no! It's been almost thirty minutes! The other's must be done by now!"

"Let's hurry, then." Emylia sprinted out of the room. "And hope that they all managed to get a jade blade."

* * *

"The fifteenth jade blade!" Chen announced, attaching Damien's jade blade to the weapons rack. "Only three-"

"WAIT!" A shrill voice exclaimed, and Aqua and Emylia appeared a second later, jade blade in their hands. "We have some!"

The other four ninja sighed in relief at the sight of their teammates being saved from elimination.

"Good job, Aqua and Em," Kessra complimented as the waterbender gave her blade to Clouse.

"Thanks," Aqua said. She frowned. "Wait, where's Monika?"

The four ninja felt their blood turn to ice as they realized the master of soul wasn't anywhere to be found.

"Oh no," Craig muttered, feeling guilty for letting Monika just run off without the jade blade.

"There's one blade left," Kessra said.

"Then who's the other one?" Emylia asked, worry laced in her tone.

Norwin looked at the other elemental masters and nearly fainted when he realized who was going against his missing teammate.

"It's down to Karlof and Monika," he said softly.

* * *

Monika felt her blood boil as she stared at Karlof. The two were currently encircling the last remaining jade blade, their eyes locked on each other.

"I'm not going to say I told you so," Mica sneered from Monika's left. "But…I told you so."

"Aye," Faolan appeared next to Mica, his kilt swaying in the sudden breeze. "It would have been wise to take the jade blade."

Monika struggled to ignore the two spirits as she prepared to fight.

"Don't die, please," _ whispered quietly.

"Yeah. Especially not to this metal-head," Mica murmured. "No glory in that."

"Can't you guys see I'm trying to concentrate?" Monika hissed.

"GET ON WITH IT!" Chen's voice suddenly screamed from a nearby speaker.

"METAL!" Karlof bashed his hands together, encasing his body in pure metal.

"SOUL!" Monika yelled, and she felt the spirits of the dead rise around her. Racing toward the jade blade, Monika dodged a heavy metal first before ducking down and reaching for the blade. Karlof's leg kicked her in the stomach, pushing her back.

"I've got this!" Mica shouted, and gave a swift jab to Karlof's face.

"Aye, me, too!" Faolan laughed. He then used his bagipes to deliver a blow to Karlof's spine. "That's what you get, you rotten scalawag!"

Monika couldn't help but smile as her friends helped her take down Karlof. Narrowly avoiding another attack, Monika jumped up and hoisted herself on top of Karlof's shoulders. Now in the air, she gave a sturdy push and flew toward the blade.

"Behind you!" _ screamed, but it was too late.

Monika felt an agonizing streak of pain race up her ankle as Karlof's metal hand wrapped around it. He slammed Monika into the hard ground, sending spikes of searing hot pain up her entire body.

"MONIKA!" Mica shouted.

Monika let out a dull moan as she watched Karlof pick up the last jade blade.

* * *

The air was thick with tension as the six ninja anxiously waited to see if Monika had made it to the next round.

Suddenly, a shadow appeared in the hallway. It began to move closer and closer to the group of elemental masters.

"C'mon, Monika…" Craig muttered worriedly. "You didn't make it all this way just to lose, did you?"

Monika felt her head spin as she stumbled toward Karlof. The metal-head may have claimed the jade blade, but that didn't mean she couldn't fight back. Her connection with the spirits was becoming weak, and she could sense the ghosts beginning to disappear.

Karlof was entering the hallway which led to the main throne room. Increasing her speed, the master of soul struggled to keep her mind focused and her feet moving.

Ambling down the hall, Monika could see Karlof raise the jade blade in a gesture of victory, a cruel laugh passing his lips.

Monika's jaw clenched in concentration as she summoned Mica to aid her one last time.

"Please…" she whispered to her ghost friend, her strength quickly draining.

Sweaty palm now raised, Monika gasped as the jade blade in Karlof's hand was snatched away. A grinning Mica stood proudly next to the gaping master of metal.

"Take that, you dumb bloke!" Faolan exclaimed, waving his bagpipes in Karlof's face.

"Loser," Mica sneered, and threw the blade into Monika's grasp.

"What is going on?!" Karlof shouted in a furious tone.

"Hurry, Monika!" Conner warned, pointing to a fuming Karlof.

Monika took a deep breath before sprinting past Karlof and into the throne room. She didn't hesitate in pushing Clouse aside and jabbing the jade blade into the rack. Sighing in relief, she heard the crowd around her cheer.

"Go Monika!" Norwin yelled happily!

"Knew you could do it," Craig said, and gave her a pat on the back.

"Thanks," Monika said shakily, then glanced at Karlof. The man of metal looked absolutely _furious. _

"This is unfair!" Karlof claimed. "She cheated."

"The rules didn't say you couldn't steal a jade blade," Craig pointed out.

"I wouldn't call it 'steal'," Monika said guiltily.

"Oh, relax, Monika," Emylia said. "You won and that's all that matters."

"The first challenge is OVER!" Chen shouted. "All except Karlof will move on to the next round!"

Chen looked at Clouse and the latter pushed a red button, causing the floor beneath Karlof to disappear.

"NOOO!" Karlof screamed as he fell into a black abyss.

Monika felt bile rising up her throat, and she tried to swallow her guilt. She had to steal the blade!

…Right?

"Hey," Craig said quietly. "Don't feel too bad. It was either him or you, and I'd much rather prefer you than that dumb idiot."

"I just-"

"Now that the first challenge is done," Chen boomed. "You may all report to the dining room for a meal bestowed by my workers."

"We'll talk more there," Kessra said. "C'mon. We don't want to be the last ones in line!"

* * *

The dining room was filled with rows of delicious food. The seven ninja took refuge away from the other competitors, opting to sit down at a few tables in the corner.

Emylia picked at her noodles before addressing her team. "We need a plan of action. Monika was nearly eliminated today. What would we have done if she lost?"

"Emylia's right," Craig said. "We need to find the ninja and fast."

"Chen's watching this place like a hawk," Damien said grimly. "We need to be careful if we choose to explore the island."

"How about tonight?" Kessra suggested. "We could all meet at someone's room and split up to look around."

"Whose dorm?"

"Maybe mine?" Monika said. "It doesn't really matter if we're splitting up, anyway."

"So it's settled," Craig said. "We'll meet at Monika's room tonight." He held up his drink, a cool glass of cool-aid-, and clinked his glass with his fork. "To not being eliminated!"

His teammates held up their cups, too, and they repeated Craig's mantra .

"To not being eliminated!"

Monika held the glass cup to her lips and tried to drink her tea, but the looming threat of dropping into that dark, dark hole to who-knew-where kept her from enjoying Craig's toast.

_I hope we find the ninja soon._

* * *

A/N: And that concludes the sixth episode! The next one will focus on the ninjas' attempts to explore the island and its dangerous secrets! (This is when the real action will begin, folks!) As I've said before, thank you so much for your patience and grace as I try to update! It means a lot!

Please Review!

-TCJ


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